Windy Skies
by potatopies
Summary: Because Sawada Asuka was the only sane (debatable) person in the world who could talk to and scold Hibari Kyoya on a daily basis without being bitten to death. Ah, how he loved her (definitely debatable).
1. Prelude

Because Sawada Asuka was the only sane (debatable) person in the world who could talk to, tease, and scold Hibari Kyoya on a daily basis while stealing his catchphrase without being bitten to death.

* * *

Ah, Namimori.

A peaceful city that was home to many. Surrounded by vast mountains and forests. Taken over by one Hibari Kyoya _. Such a peaceful place it was._

* * *

 ** _Approximately 10 years ago -_**

" _Alright now, kids. It's your free time!"_

 _All the five year olds cheered as they rushed outside to the play structures. The teacher followed suit, making sure none got hurt._

 _A little girl made her way towards a shady area, away from all the commotion. Ah, she was tired. Her cute little brother had woken her up during the middle of the night. As much as she loved him, too much crying was just too much._

 _But, of course, when she was a newborn, she probably cried a lot-_

 _Before the girl finished her thoughts, she tripped over something and faceplanted onto the dirty ground. That something was someone's foot. That someone was the super scary kid with black hair who always sat in the back and never spoke._

 _And right now, the super scary kid with black hair who always sat in the back and never spoke was glaring holes through her. Since it wasn't her nature to glare at people, she politely stared back at him._

 _The scary kid's eyes were grey. Slightly black. You know. They looked pretty, but the fact that they were staring deep into your soul made it quite nerve racking._

" _Um… I'm sorry.. I'll leave now..."_

 _Just as she stood up and turned around, she was hit by something(s). Turning around again, she saw the boy holding two sticks(that were from a tree)._

" _For disturbing my peace, I'll bite you to death."_

" _E-eh? B-but…"_

 _The boy said nothing and simply started walking towards her while the girl stumbled back before breaking into a run._

 _A certain mother and father just watched as their daughter was chased by a boy with sticks in his hands. The mother smiled tenderly while holding a curious three year old in her arms. The father simply looked on laughing._

" _My, my. Our daughter's having fun, isn't she, dear?"_

" _Hahaha! Of course she is! She is my daughter after all!"_

 _The child in her arms simply tilted his head and sucked on his finger._

* * *

Even though their first day meeting each other resulted in scratches, bruises, and blood, the girl started to always be with the boy. Whether it be during their free time, or at school, or even on the weekends.

Many wondered if the girl was secretly a masochist at heart.

A strange pair they were, Hibari Kyoya and Sawada Asuka.

* * *

Sawada Tsunayoshi was a young and innocent boy with a loving family. His mother was the best cook in the world. His father was there for about five or six years of his life, and most of it was visiting cows and falling in streams.

His sister was amazing. To him, she was beautiful and nice, a bit airheaded(even though the IQ tests stated that she quite the IQ). She also made the best cookies in the world.

But one day, he saw her with a super scary looking guy who held metal sticks in his hands. One day he would see him talking to his sister(well, she talking to him) and the other, he would be beating people up. It seemed like the 'boys can't hit girls' policy didn't exist in the guy's mind.

Heck, Tsuna even saw him lightly bonk his sister on the head before. But he was sure that lightly bonking his sister's head wouldn't make her faint.

So he feared for the day that the two of them finally got together. He hoped and hoped and hoped even though he knew that one day they would finally hook up. Especially if his mom hoped for it.

The world was cruel.

* * *

Asuka was a good student and daughter and sister.

At school, she was the student body president. She managed everything with the utmost perfection (though her oh-so-amazing friend often did the dirty work for her without her realizing) and kept good grades.

At home, she always helped with chores whenever she was free of work. She helped her mother cook, do the dishes, and do the laundry. She even gave occasional massages. She never talked back, unless it was about idiotic things like whether they should get a goldfish or a guinea pig.

With her brother, she would always help him with homework. When they were still kids, she would often tuck him in for bed and maybe read him a story whenever their mother was tired. Since baking was a favorite of hers, he was often first to try her cookies or brownies.

But one thing that sparked the interests of many.

How could such a sweet, innocent girl be best friends (self-proclaimed) with the demon of Namimori?

How could the demon of Namimori be able to stand such a sweet, innocent girl by his side every single minute (not really) of his life?

Simply mysteries that would remained between the two.

* * *

Hibari Kyoya did not think much of Sawada Asuka.

She was a simple person.

But of course, simplicity was the ultimate sophistication.

Therefore, he did not need to think much of her. It was unnecessary.

However, it wasn't wrong to say he wasn't uncaring of her.

. . .

Quite the opposite actually. He always often exceeded his quota for fellow human interaction by a wide margin when she was in his company. The fact that he, for some reason unknown even to himself, allowed her into _his_ home _multiple_ times was a feat unheard of before. As amusing as it was seeing frozen civilians gawk at the impossible sight of _someone other than Hibari-san_ enter and exit his house, it was fairly annoying. They quickly dispersed at the first gleam of metal, however, and suddenly, her visits became the norm.

Much to his chagrin.

And to her joy.

And to her younger brother's dismay.

* * *

She was not a sky.

Timoteo knew that for a fact.

Rather, her shy, insecure, and helpless little brother was.

How peculiar.

She was definitely fit to be a sky, yet her flame said otherwise.

 _When little Tsunayoshi had broken down due to the small pup, she plopped herself down next to him and gave him a hug. Their father dotingly cooed at the sight. Their mother blissfully unaware._

No, she was not a sky.

She would nurture. Protect. Guide.

He inwardly frowned a bit at the thought. Those types were usually the most self-sacrificial, unfortunately.

 _He rose onto his feet and went towards the children. Iemitsu gave him a look, before allowing him to continue. These two had potential. But it wasn't time. Not yet. Releasing his own flame, he gently poked the children's forehead. The orange and white wisps disappeared without a trace. A pair of soft, hazel eyes stared at him, dazed and confused. They wandered to her sleeping brother before slowly drooping as well._

She was not born to be a sky. But she was born to raise a sky.

* * *

Iemitsu hated fate. He despised it with every fiber of his body.

And now it had given his beloved daughter that damned flame.

It wasn't that the flame was weak. It was quite powerful to be honest. But the nature of it's users didn't sit well with him. He had heard stories. He was witnessed the things done by the people who shared the same flame. And he was terrified of it.

What if his child had decided the same as those people?

Like hell.

He'd be damned if he ever let his daughter die from self-sacrifice.

* * *

 _The wind is free. It is everywhere._

 _A gentle breeze that nurtures and cares for it's family. A fierce gale that forces enemies to their knees._

 _It helps uphold the sky. A pillar of support._

* * *

 **edited just a bit. 8/8**


	2. Tranquillamente

"A baby?"

" _That's right! And he's a tutor! Isn't that amazing? So can you, dear?"_

"Alright then, I'll buy some after school."

" _Have a good day, Asu-chan!"_

Asuka stared at the device in her hand. A baby? In a suit? Since when had they hired a tutor for Tsuna? She let out a short breath and decided to ask questions later. Right now, she needed to sort out the papers for the clubs, and due to some careless officers in the council, they were all messed up.

Speaking of which, she haven't seen them in a while. She had whined about her annoyances to Kyoya during lunch, but then he suddenly ran off somewhere and left her on the roof. The others looked pale when she mentioned them. Maybe they were sick?

* * *

" _I found the little one half naked outside the gates at first."_

"...Why?"

" _I do not know or care. What I do know is that the captain of the kendo club just challenged him to a duel."_

"...I thought that was considered breaking the peace of Namimori?"

" _The peace will not be the only thing broken if you don't solve this."_

"...Kyoya… You're being extremely lazy today."

An accusing grunt echoed from the device and Asuka hung up before he could say anything else. Honestly, it was _his_ job to take care of fights.

Wait- Fights?

Tsuna?

Oh, for heaven's-

The club papers were immediately forgotten as she rushed out of the room, hoping that her dear little brother didn't get too much brain damage.

* * *

What she didn't expect was the kendo captain lying on the floor, passed out, with a shiny head, hair scattered around him. She also did not, _absolutely did not_ , expect her little brother straddling him half nak..ed? Since when was he an exhibitionist? Was he the one to de-hair him? Despite her obvious displeasure of the situation, Asuka could feel pride swelling in her chest.

 _Her cute, little brother. The one called no-good. The one who was bullied whenever she wasn't around to see it. He defended himself. She knew he'd prove that stupid nickname wrong one day._

Spotting the vice president of the disciplinary committee around the corner, she beckoned him over with a wave.

"Kusakabe-kun, do me a favor and clean this up? Call the ambulance, too. Mochida-kun may need some therapy after this."

She'd need to bake Tsuna his favorite cake as a congratulations for his accomplishment as well.

* * *

"Carrots… Peas….Potatoes… Banana…."

Anyone who didn't know better would have assumed that Asuka was some kind of witch muttering a curse. Others would notice her standing in front of the baby food aisle debating which flavors she should buy.

"What do babies even like nowadays? Do they even have tastebuds at that age? How old is this baby again?"

Should she just buy a pack of one flavor, or a bunch of different flavors? Did it even matter? Babies couldn't tell the difference between a toy and food, so how the heck would they tell flavors? But there were so many brands to choose from, with so many different flavors. Organic? Gluten-free? Vegan?

"I want premium espresso."

Asuka's head snapped towards the voice, surprised at the sudden statement. She blinked as she took in the small form of a baby in a black suit with a yellow pacifier. Was that a lizard-thing? And espresso? What in the world was a baby doing drinking espresso?

"You.." A baby in a suit? "..Tutor..?"

It seemed to smirk in response. "You catch on fast. Much better than that no-good brother of yours." It looked at the giant wall of baby food before pointing to a different aisle. "I don't want baby food. I want espresso."

She stared blankly at the baby. Was this little guy telling her what to do?

"Yes. Now hurry up, we don't have all day."

It seemed that she now had a mind reader and smart-aleck in her hands. Wonderful. But if he really was a mind reader then he ought to tell her his name.

"Ciaossu, I'm the hitman tutor, Reborn. From here on out, I'll be taking care of No-good Tsuna from now on. Rest assured, Sawada Asuka. I won't hurt him too much."

How reassuring.

* * *

Asuka believed that she led a fairly normal life. That was her belief anyway. She continued to believe that she would until she grew old and passed. Unfortunately, Reborn was fairly adept at crushing people's expectations and dreams.

"A mafia family, you say?"

"Not just any family. The strongest."

"Fine. So according to you, Tsuna and I are descendants of the first boss of this.. Vongola Famiglia… And we, specifically Tsuna, have a responsibility to inherit and lead it after the ninth boss retires? Even though we're not even legal yet?"

"Legality doesn't matter. It's not like the mafia is legal anyway."

"...And exactly why us? Shouldn't this ninth boss have a heir?"

"Not anymore. You two were chosen because of your ancestry. Even if you don't accept it, fact cannot be changed. The mafia will find you."

"You're taking this rather seriously. Do you have proof?"

Reborn's lizard-thing morphed into a gun. Cocking it, he pointed the barrel at her forehead.

"Instead of asking questions all day, why don't you experience it yourself?"

* * *

 _Bang ._

* * *

 _This baby was batshit crazy. A lunatic. I am never, ever trusting babies again after this. Nope. Never._

"You- you just- You _shot_ me."

"Unfortunately no. If that were the case, you'd be in your underwear and screaming all over."

"W-what?!"

Reborn glanced over the girl's disheveled state. Her heart rate skyrocketed after she realized that he shot at her, that she could have _died._ That would need to change. The mafia had no place for people who were easily shaken. Her reaction speed, however, was a different story. He didn't expect such quick reflexes from her, especially with her hyper intuition unawakened.

"Asuka. Do you fight?"

"F-fight? What do you mean?"

"As in taking part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons."

"O-oh, um… Sort of? Kyoya didn't want me to be defenseless… So he made me take some martial arts but that's it?"

Kyoya? Hibari Kyoya? Reborn took a quick note of that information before speaking.

"Will you protect Tsuna?"

He received a dry look. As expected.

"Of course! He's my precious brother." ' _I would die for him' remained unspoken._

A smile graced his small, chubby face. A good start. His sister was perfect in the aspect of loyalty and nurturing. Maybe a little more training on facing the facts and combat, and she would make the ideal guardian.

"Then, Sawada Asuka. Will you become the Wind Guardian of the 10th Generation Vongola Family?"

* * *

"Onee-sama!"

"O-o..Onee-sa..ma?"

"Yes! Onee-sama! Onee-sama is Tenth's older sister, so I will treat you with the same respect!"

Onee-sama. Huh. Strange. Why in the world was this silver-haired Italian transfer that she met on the first day of school calling her 'Onee-sama'? And Tenth? Why in- Ah. Mafia.

"N-no, no. Just call-"

Gokudera fell onto his knees, assuming dogeza position, head pressed to the floor. Asuka almost felt like fainting.

"I am deeply sorry! I didn't realize that you were Tenth's older sister before! Please forgive me for disrespecting you the first day!"

Ahh, that. He had disregarded her when she approached him with some of his class materials and textbooks, even going as far as to glare and threaten to bomb her head off. He shut up when he saw Kyoya's face though. Speaking of Kyoya, he went off and beat up an entire gang after that. Honestly, he could at least warn her before going off like that.

"It's fine, really! I expected as much.."

"Then, will you please giving me your blessing?"

"B-blessing? As in-"

"I wish to serve the Tenth for the rest of my life! Please allow me to stay by his side and protect him!"

"G-gokudera-kun! If you say it like that, it sounds weird!"

"O-oh? T-then, please allow me to serve the Tenth forever until death do us apart!"

"That sounds even weirder!"

* * *

 _The fact that he was making friends made her want to cry. He was growing up now. He had friends. He had people to rely on. He didn't just have her._

 _It made her feel so damn happy. Happier than the first time Kyoya called her name. Happier than when Dad visited for the first time in 3 years._

 _He was alright. He will be alright._

 _He would be_ fine.

* * *

"Kyoya."

"Hn."

"How smart are babies supposed to be? I'm not talking about five year olds. I'm talking about one year olds."

"... Hn."

"Would it be weird if a baby who's one year old started spouting perfectly formed sentences with all types of verbs and adjectives? And if they drink espresso? And if they can walk, run, and jump like an Olympic athlete?"

"... You know who I'm talking about right?"

"Hn."

"I'm coming over today. You haven't been eating leftovers and takeout again, right?"

"..."

"I thought I taught you how to cook a few dishes… So you weren't listening after all…"

* * *

"Tsuna.."

"Ah! Nee-chan, you're back!"

"There's a calf in our living room."

"A calf?"

"A baby cow."

"Oh, that's Lambo. He's, um, he's one of -"

"Reborn's mafia friends?"

"HIE?! Reborn! You told Nee-chan about the mafia?! I told you not to!"

"It's fine, it's fine.. Can we keep him?"

"W-what? Keep him? Like a pet?"

"Yea… He's so adorable, just like when you were a little baby sucking on your thumb and drooling and poopin-"

"Nee-chan!"

Ah, kids. They grow up so fast.

* * *

Asuka nearly hurled all of her dinner when she saw the atrocity that was the kitchen. Amidst the _toxic purple smoke_ was a woman with pink hair. Where was her mother and _why the hell were the flowers wilting-_

"E-excuse me?"

The woman turned around and faced her. In her hands was a cake. A purple, devilish, deadly looking cake. How absolutely delightful. She'd definitely eat it.

"Are you, um, one of Reborn's friends?"

The woman's eyes darkened when she mentioned the hitman. She raised the cake, as if ready to throw it in her face.

"You know Reborn? Who are you? His lover? His admirer? I'll kill-"

"No no! I'm not! I'm his student's sister, you know, Tsunayoshi?"

"I see." The woman's dark glare softened, and she placed the cake down onto the counter. "My name is Bianchi, freelance hitman, Hayato's sister, and Reborn's lover." There was an emphasis on 'lover'.

"I-i'm Sawada Asuka, Tsuna's sister. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

* * *

" _Congratulations! It's a baby girl!"_

 _Nana held her newborn child close in her arms. She was tired. They didn't lie about the pains of labor, but it was worth it. She had a baby girl. Her precious baby girl. Iemitsu stared at his wife with love in his eyes. He had a family now. Not a famiglia. A family. A wife. A child._

 _When Nana handed him his baby, he couldn't help but tear up a bit. She was his. His daughter. Hishishis. He had a daughter he could raise. One he could give his fatherly love to. One to shower with praise, kisses, and love. It would be his most beautiful moments in life. Ones he'd treasure even at his deathbed._

 _A large pair of eyes (shehadhiseyes) stared at him dazedly. She was so gorgeous. The most precious thing he could ever hold in his hands. She was worth more than those rings, the Vongola fortune, anything._

 _And she would become an amazing person._

 _He would make sure of it._

" _Asuka. Her name will be Asuka."_

 _She won't be held down. She'll fly higher than anyone else._

 _His most dearest daughter._

* * *

 _Like the cloud, the wind refuses to be caged. Its own nature is to run wild, coursing freely through the skies._

 _It is because of this that the cloud is interested in the wind._

 _So similar and yet so different._

 _A kind, friendly wind and an independent, aloof cloud._

 _The wind guides the cloud. It sends it towards the right direction._

 _It is there, wherever the cloud goes. It is there._

 _And so, wherever the wind is, the cloud will follow._

 _They will not separate._

 _For as long as one is there, the other will persist._

* * *

 _the beginning will be rushed, since its just character introductions and such._

 _Asuka /_ _飛鳥_ _= "to fly, bird"_

 ** _i'm starting to question what i was thinking as i edit this. 8/8_**


	3. Allegretto

_Breathe_

She assessed her opponent, noting their tense and wary posture. Their breathing was short, no doubt nervous and anxious. Her eyes met theirs.

 _Hitch_

Her feet moved without hesitation. They lowered their stance, preparing to defend. Fist met palm. Knee met shin.

 _Charge_

A rush of adrenaline filled her body. She was excited. Perhaps, her friend had rubbed off on her. Her head moved to dodge an incoming strike while she delivered a kick of her own.

 _Push_

They were struggling, tired after defending and attempting to land hits on her. Any moment now, they would make a mistake. A misstep. A loss of balance. A weak block. Anything. She would use it to her advantage. .

 _Conquer_

Their aim became sloppy, and in result, allowed to guard to fall. She snaked her arm around their extended one, locking it in a vice grip. With a hard shove, they were pushed onto the ground, incapacitated by her hold.

 _Exhale_

* * *

Hibari watched as his companion immobilized her much larger opponent. Satisfaction and pride crept into his heart. To be able to do such a thing to a senior member of the dojo was commendable. But it was to be expected. No cohort of his will be useless. She served as a perfect example of a herbivore developing and sharpening its claws.

Said girl was now having a short break after sparring with a few others. She was concentrated, much more alert than her regular self. He'd be lying if he said he didn't prefer this version of her.

"You've improved."

The brunette turned to look at him. Her face shone with a thin sheen of sweat, and her tied hair was messy and falling out.

"Kyoya? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see your progress."

"Are you sure you weren't just stalking me?" His tonfas were out in a second, but she had already left for the lockers. "Let me take a quick shower. I'll be right there."

The perpetrator herself was spared from his irritance. The remaining members in the dojo, however, faced the full brunt of it.

* * *

"Literally every time I go home, there's one more person. Either Tsuna suddenly became a social magnet or my house became a Airbnb residence."

"Hn."

"But the kids are just so adorable… They remind me of you."

"..."

"So cute and innocent… Those were the days…"

"... I'll bite you to death."

"I'm kidding! Jeez, can't you loosen up every once in awhile?"

"Hn."

"Anyway, what do you want for dinner?"

* * *

Asuka stared at Kyoya.

After ten minutes of staring, he became quite unnerved.

"Stop staring at me."

"Kyoya, you need to eat more."

"... What?"

"You're too skinny!" She frowned and pointed to his arms. "You fight so much but you're all skin and bone! I'm sure there's at least some muscle, but you're as thin as Tsuna. You need more carbs and proteins. Not takeout and leftovers."

"I'll bite-"

"This hamburger to death. Go on, eat."

* * *

When Asuka arrived home, she had expected one more occupant in her house. One _human_ occupant. She did not account for there being a gigantic turtle wrecking her bathroom. This was worse than when Tsuna slipped on soap, fell forward, and somehow shattered the toilet.

So after she had called Kyoya regarding the need for repairs, she went to her brother's room to confront the new occupant(s).

"Tsuna, who is this?"

Her brother, along with Reborn and the foreigner, looked up at her.

"Ah! Nee-chan, this is Dino-san. He's.. um.. Reborn's former student!"

"So I'm assuming mafia boss then?"

"HIE?! How did you know?!"

"No-good Tsuna, do you really think your sister is that stupid?"

"H-hi! I'm Dino Cavallone, 10th Boss of the Cavallone Family. It's nice to meet you…?"

"Asuka is fine."

Asuka quietly watched as her brother hie'd from Reborn's threats and Dino's awkward laugh. As much as she loved to see her brother having fun with other people, it was getting too loud in this usually quiet household. With an exasperated sigh, she exited his room and downstairs.

"Mama, I'm staying over at Kyoya's for the night."

* * *

"Kyoya, I'm probably going to stay over for awhile. Another person has taken over my house. This time, a mafia boss."

"Is he strong?"

"No, Kyoya, no. He's not. He trips over his own feet and can't use chopsticks."

"Hn."

* * *

" _Asuka. Tsuna's been kidnapped by the yakuza."_

* * *

Ever since Reborn had entered their lives, Tsuna had faced nothing but trouble. Asuka did not like Reborn. He may be a baby, but that didn't stifle her growing dislike for him. Because of a baby, Tsuna was constantly in danger. Constantly getting injured. She wouldn't be surprised if one day, her little brother came back in a full body cast.

Tsuna was weak. Anything but strong. So why did he have to be chosen for this stupid mafia business? They could have at least made _her_ the successor, because she could defend herself. But Tsuna of all people? She shook these thoughts out of her head. Now wasn't the time to be cursing Reborn.

Right now, she had a yakuza to send to hell.

* * *

 _Tsuna_

Another went in her way. He was knocked down in an instant.

 _Where is he_

The crowd didn't seem to end. They kept coming in waves. They were strong in numbers, but weak in power. No wonder Kyoya never had trouble with them.

 _Tell me now_

The crowd had no patience. No unity. They kept charging like rampant bulls. That wouldn't do; she needed to discipline them.

 _Or else_

A gunshot. So they were using firearms now? How unfair and dirty. The only weapon she had was her body. A swift kick knocked the gun out of grip. A body crumpled to the floor with a quick chop to the neck.

 _I'll have to kil-_

"Nee-chan, stop it!"

* * *

Tsuna was scared. Petrified to the bone.

In the middle of the room was his sister, who was gripping a suffocating man in a choke hold. He couldn't see her face properly _(he was too frightened to want to see her face),_ but he could feel the murderous intent filling the room. Men were cowering in fear, praying for their lives to be spared.

 _Dangerdangerdanger_

Sirens went off in his head. Next to him, he could feel the others stiffen. Gokudera-kun had fear in his eyes, shadowing the slight admiration of the display of strength. Yamamoto wasn't laughing; he was nervous. Dino-san looked calculating, as if analyzing her every move. He had no idea where Reborn was or if he was even watching, but he was sure _(he hoped)_ that he would stop this.

No one did. _(No one could)_.

But if he didn't stop her now, she could really kill-

"Nee-chan, stop it!"

* * *

Tsuna was exasperated to say the least. He had lost count of how many rooms he'd been kicked out of. So when he saw the room the nurse had led him to, he almost considered going back to Death Mountain instead. Hibari-san was sitting on the bed, silently reading a book. His sister was peeling an apple. He tried to ignore the small pile of bodies in the far corner of the room.

"H-Hibari-san! Why are you here too?"

The prefect looked away from his book. "I caught a small cold, but it was getting boring, so I decided to play a little game." He nodded toward the pile of bodies. "Unfortunately, they were too weak." He looked back at Tsuna. "It's a simple game. If you make a sound, I'll bite you to death."

"I-I.. Um.. I suddenly feel better now! I don't think I need to stay anymore so-"

"You'd need the doctor's permission to leave." A new voice added. Tsuna whirled around to face an middle-aged man.

"Hey, Director."

"D-director?!"

"It is because of Hibari-san that we can run smoothly! We will always be at your command!"

"Well, I'll be taking a nap then. Oh, and even falling leaves can wake me."

 _Then how the heck was his sister peeling an apple, which obviously makes a lot of noise, and not being bitten to death?!_

Behind him, he could hear the door slide open. Turning around, he found I-Pin and Lambo peeking through the small opening. He could almost _feel_ himself being bitten to death when he saw their mischievous expressions. He attempted to signal them to get the heck out, but to no avail. He felt his life slip away when Lambo took out a grenade and took off the safety pin.

 _God bless his life._

* * *

Ever since that day with the yakuza, Asuka had not tried to talk to Tsuna, with the exception of checking up on him every once in awhile. When he came back from the mountain covered in injuries, the most she did was fuss over him and bring him to the hospital.

Whenever she thought back to that incident, her conscience felt heavy and weighted. Back then, she could feel their fear radiating. She hadn't meant to be so violent; it was the spur of the moment, really. She took out her frustration and stress that had built up on those men. It had partially worked, perhaps that's why Kyoya fights so much. But the moment she saw the expression on her brothers face, the vexation came rushing back. A discontented sigh exited her mouth and she buried her face into her palms. Maybe she needed to punch something. Or just take a long nap.

"You weren't wrong to do what you did."

...It seemed that he always knew what was on her mind. But was it really right? She knew what she did to those men. Broke a few legs. Dislocated a few bones. Ripped some tendons. Cracked a skull. Maybe even-

"But right and wrong are subjective. What is right to me may be wrong to you."

That definitely made her feel better. Thanks, baby. But her mind was muddled. Right and wrong made no sense to her. Not that it ever did. Her intuition only told her to protect Tsuna.

"And that's what you did. So to you, you made the right choice."

Was it now?

"Asuka. In the mafia, there is no right or wrong. There is no one stopping you from killing and being killed. The rules are only for keepsake. You make your own rules."

Then she didn't want to be involved. She would rather destroy the mafia by herself than to take part in it, even if it means dying. A life like that, it was too cruel.

* * *

" _If that is your resolve, then you must keep it and never forget it. Many are blinded by blood and lose sight of their resolve before they can reach it. You must fight for it with your dying will."_

* * *

His whole body was aching all over. Damn, that Reborn was the devil incarnate. He could barely run one lap around the track without losing his breath, but that baby had to go and make him run 50 laps in 10 minutes. Not to mention, he was being chased by a Leon-Tank and the field was covered in landmines and dynamite. Right now, all he wanted was a warm bath and a nice, long rest-

"Tsuna?"

The said brunet turned to the doorway and saw his sister peeking in with a small smile. Upon seeing his slumped form, Asuka walked in with a tray in her hands and closed the door behind her.

"Reborn told me that you might be tired, so I made you some sweets."

Tired was an understatement. He was exhausted beyond comprehension. But he moved over to make some room for his sister to sit. When she sat down, she pulled Tsuna into her arms, causing him to lose whatever composure he had and squeal loudly.

"N-Nee-chan?! What are you doing?!"

"Hush. Just eat and relax, alright?"

She took a cookie and cup from the tray and placed them into his hands, and after making sure he wouldn't spill or drop anything, she began to slowly massage his sore muscles. The tensed, almost non-existent muscles slowly started to loosen under her touch.

"...Nee-chan?"

"Hm?"

"... Nevermind…"

"If it's about the other day, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you like that, I was just… Acting on whim."

"A-ah.."

He had been scared that day. But not of her. No. He was never be scared of his sister. Not the one who comforted and raised him ever since they were children. He knew that killing anyone never would have crossed her mind. If anything, she probably had been focused on finding him. But since the yakuza really didn't know anything about him, she might have gotten a bit too agitated. He was pulled out of his thoughts when arms wrapped around his torso, careful not to press against bruises, and a face was buried against his back.

"You've grown up a lot, you know. Not long ago, you were just a small little kid who tripped wherever he went." A small pause. "Even now you still trip wherever, but now there are people who help you get up. I.. I can't always be there to protect you, so you can't just go head first into a sticky situation, okay? You have to think first, act second. Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun may be there with you, but they aren't exactly the brightest, you know? So you have to be careful and not get hurt so much."

"O-okay."

"Hm.. That's good then." Tsuna felt her smile against him. "I'm proud of you. So, so proud." She pulled away and turned him around, patting his soft hair lovingly. "I think you'd make a fine boss."

"Nee-chan!"

"Heh~"

* * *

"Hurry up."

"Alright, alright. Let me just... adjust… this stupid… thing!"

Whoever created the obi was obviously an evil person at heart. Asuka was currently on her sixth try on attempting to correct tie the obi of her yukata. Unfortunately, the gods were not on her side today. How reassuring on the first day of the new year. Hibari, who was watching his cohort struggle with such a simple process in amusement, yawned. He was dressed in a yukata as well, though dark and plain compared to her light, intricate garment. It had been approximately twenty minutes since she first attempted to tie her obi, and it seemed that there was no way she would accomplish such a task any time soon.

"You know what. I'm so done."

And so, with an indignant huff, she tossed the obi onto a nearby table and instead wrapped a simple sash around her waist, securing it with a bow knot. With that, the two exited the large house, towards Namimori Shrine.

* * *

Indeed, this was a bad day for Sawada Asuka.

 _Curse - You shall face various trials that will test patience and determination. They will come in the most unexpected forms, but do not fear, for you will be greatly awarded once they have been passed._

How lucky of her.

On the other hand, Kyoya ( _that lucky bas-)_ , received a blessing.

 _Blessing - You shall receive a new gift that will aid you in your journeys. Your hardships will be numbered, and you will face prosperity instead of adversity._

He didn't even bother hanging it up for good luck; the paper ended up ripped up in a trash can. Apparently, good luck was for herbivores who could not defend themselves, and he had no need for such unnecessary premonitions.

"Do you want my curse then? Or is that herbivorous, too?"

"Hn. You can keep that."

"... Let's just go view the sakura for now…"

* * *

 _The wind is kind, yes._

 _But it holds no bounds in regards to destruction._

 _A turbulence, leaving nothing but rubble in it's wake._

 _Like a passing storm, or a bolt of lightning._

 _It is strong; it will not cease._

 _. . ._

 _The sky is it's home._

 _Because of the sky, the wind can be free._

 _In return for it's freedom, it loves the sky unconditionally._

 _It provides affection and warmth for the lonely sky._

 _Unequivocally, wholeheartedly, unwaveringly._

* * *

 **issa cringefest woohoo. 8/8**


	4. Accelerando

_Gravity - noun -_ _the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. For most purposes Newton's laws of gravity apply, with minor modifications to take the general theory of relativity into account._

Asuka would have loved to see Isaac Newton's face if he ever saw what was happening right now. Almost all the objects, including the human beings, in the room were somehow _floating_. As much as it was fun to whirl around and weighing like nothing, she had a bad case of motion sickness, and if the law of physics also did not apply to her bodily fluids, then she felt quite sorry for the inhabitants of the room, namely Tsuna. But for the sake of her brother, she held her breath in attempt to stifle the uncomfortable feeling.

Currently, the strange, floating child was ranking people, whatever that meant. Apparently, Lambo was ranked first for the most annoying mafioso, as well as being wanted by people to be killed and made into a cushion. Cruel, but understandable. And- oh, was it her turn?

"Asuka-nee is ranked first out of four people to be able to convince Hibari-nii to do something." If she wasn't so busy trying not to throw up her lunch, she would have blushed. Also, who were the other three? "She's also ranked first for being the best sister in the world." Aw, shucks. How flattering.

Asuka floated over to the bed, which somehow remained floored (most likely because of the bolts that held it down due to several accidents in the past), and took a deep breath.

"How about Kyoya? What are his rankings?"

"Mm… Hibari-nii's ranked first for being the most bloodthirsty teenager in the world so far. But he's also rank eighth for liking small animals."

"Small animals? Like.. Puppies?" That was good, she liked puppies, too.

"He's also ranked first for people most likely to become a baker when they're older."

Now that, was quality information. Information that she could use.

"Let's do Tsuna-nii's love ranking!"

Ah, Tsuna? Wasn't he crushing on Ryohei-kun's little sister? The popular one?

"Tsuna-nii's love ranking; number one is-"

What was her name again? K-

"Leon."

"... Tsuna, I understand that you may feel different in regards to love and such, but… I don't think bestiality is a good road to take."

"Nee-chan!"

* * *

"Happy Valentine's Day, Kyoya!"

Hibari lazily opened his eyes and caught the somewhat large box of presumably chocolates with little effort. He glanced at the beaming girl and the annoyingly bright smile plastered on her face. He caught sight of a filled plastic bag.

"You seem happy." Her face seemed to shine even more. How irritating.

"Well, I received a bunch of my favorite chocolates this year, so of course I'd be happy."

Hibari slowly pushed himself off the leather couch and motioned towards her bag. Asuka gave him a look, before reluctantly pushing it over. Inside, there was a myriad of boxes and bags from both males and females. Pulling out a small box, he opened it to see some decorated sweets. One whiff, and he could already taste the sweetness. Nevertheless, he popped one into his mouth, much to her chagrin.

"Ah! Don't just eat it without my permission, you-!"

Too sweet. Mint chocolate was not his favorite. He preferred extra dark chocolate (with a side of authentic green tea); the ones made by her were far better than the ones bought at confectionaries. They never did make them bitter enough. A small note was written on a piece of paper attached to the box.

' _Asuka-senpai, I really like you! Please go out with me!'_

"Oh, is that Kazuki-san's? He just threw it into my bag and ran away… I didn't even get to thank him. What does it say?"

"Hn."

Before Asuka could see the note for herself, Hibari ripped the note into pieces and tossed them into the garbage bin.

"H-Hey!"

* * *

A sneeze broke the quiet atmosphere in the room. A hoarse groan signalled someone's suffering and anguish. A dry cough broke off the groan and was accompanied by a raspy whine.

"Kyoya, I'm dy- _voice crack-_ ing."

"Hn."

"I'm _-sudden choking and coughing-_ not going to _-more coughing-_ last very long."

"Hn."

"Te - _weird voice crack again-_ ll them that I- hey, - _painful heaving-_ Kyoya, don't leave me here, you sick bast - _chokes again and starts to cough uncontrollably-_.. This was your fault! _"_

And thus the empty, cold hallways of Namimori Middle sparked to life as a blasé boy was chased by a sickly girl who screamed _-and failed-_ in frustration.

* * *

"What do you mean our dojo sign's been taken?"

" _W-well, just a while ago, a bunch of people came through and beat up the juniors. Us seniors weren't there at that time, so we didn't know, but…"_

A sigh escaped Asuka's mouth. It seemed that the gods have been plaguing her with misfortunes after misfortunes. Honestly, she just couldn't catch a break. She contemplated getting Kyoya to get the sign, but seeing as he was up on the roof taking his usual two hour nap, she decided against it. Calling over one of the class officers, she gave them a few instructions about her unfinished work before getting ready to leave. Come to think of it, how in the world was Kyoya so pale when he spent all that time in the sun? Was it some kind of magical sunscreen that she was unaware of? Shrugging the thought off, Asuka grumbled her way to her dojo. When she arrived at said dojo, she found quite a few people covered in injuries.

"Sawada! You're here!"

"Hiroto-san, are they alright?"

"They're going to be fine, nothing too serious at least. But could you do us a favor and get the sign back? We've got our hands full here, so.."

"It's fine, I'll do something about it."

Her senior grinned and ushered her out the dojo. "Alright then, off you go!"

Another sigh escaped her mouth. Her life was starting to sound like one of those games Tsuna played. Quest after quest after quest after quest and then a boss or two somewhere in between. 'Oh! I seemed to have misplaced something, could you possibly help me find it?' 'A few ruffians came by and attacked our town! Please defeat them!' Alas, if only she could decline, but unfortunately, life did not have such luxuries. Another sigh; where was the forfeit button when she needed it?

"Might as well get some groceries while I'm at it."

* * *

She nearly screamed in frustration when she went home and saw I-Pin chopping bell peppers on her dojo's sign.

* * *

It was a relatively quiet and sunny day. The clouds were white and fluffy. A nice breeze here and there. It was a normal day for everyone that was not Sawada Asuka.

It started when Tsuna's friends came over for some reason. A classmate of his and another girl, Kurokawa and Haru. Everything was fine, and she went up to his room with some snacks and drinks. But the moment she entered the room, Asuka felt something hit her and suddenly, she was enveloped in pink smoke. Judging from Tsuna's scream of 'Nee-chan got hit by the 10-Year Bazooka!', she assumed that she, defying all laws of physics yet again, was somehow in the future.

When the smoke cleared up, Asuka found herself sitting in a rather fancy office. Doing paperwork even in her twenties, such a sad life she led. When she tried reading the papers, she found that the writing was not limited to Japanese. Neither were the books on the shelves, or the text on the computer.

' _So the baby wasn't lying after all.'_

However, something felt wrong. Looking down, she found herself dressed in a white dress shirt with a black suit jacket and slacks. Her hair felt lighter, and there were strange accessories on her person. Her mind went blank for a moment, and she wondered if she'd need some therapy after this. Obviously, she wasn't in her own body, at least the one from her time. But if there was one thing she noticed in the foreign room, was the various names and signatures that all said 'Sawada Asuka'. So not only had she defied all laws of physics by traveling to the future, she also broke the universe by becoming her future. How exciting.

Looking around, Asuka debated whether to explore or sit still for who knows how long. A little inspection wouldn't hurt, would it? So she stood from the seat and walked towards the intricate looking door. A hesitant hand reached for the door handle before opening it to reveal an immense, ornate hall. Kudos to the architect, and even more kudos to the people who built this place.

" _Signorina! Il padrone ti ha chiamato in ufficio dieci minuti fa!"_

She nearly jumped when someone called out to her in a foreign tongue. Italian, perhaps. Probably. Across the hall, she saw a woman -maid?- pacing towards her.

" _Sono in attesa per voi per pianificare il matrimonio; è necessario affrettarsi e via!"_

Unfortunately, though her future self seemed to be well-versed in various language, Asuka could only manage a meager conversation in English at best. So she allowed herself to be led towards another large, ornate door.

" _I maestri sono all'interno. Vai avanti."_

Assuming that she was to go inside, Asuka slowly opened the doors, hoping that there wasn't a creepy old man on the other side. To her relief, there was no such thing. But there was a group of rather familiar people in the room.

' _Oh my lord, that's-.. I-... '_

In the large office were two couches. Situated in the two couches, were Tsuna's friends, Ryohei-kun, Lambo, and an unfamiliar girl. They looked so… old. Asuka didn't know if her face was shocked or blank or whatever, but the moment that she saw and heard him, her _little, cute brother_ , speak, she was sure that she probably looked as if she was going to cry.

"Ah, did Lambo use the bazooka on you? Strange, it almost never hits you."

Tsuna was, to be honest, physically blessed. Tears almost welled up in her eyes. The years had been kind to him, perhaps in compensation for his no-goodness. Time had been kind to his friends also, as they looked healthy and fit. Gokudera greeted her no different from the past, still with the embarrassing honorific. Yamamoto had given her a grin and wave. Lambo seemed half-asleep, but greeted her with a smile anyway. Ryohei-kun screamed in her face. The girl, on the other hand, seemed shy and just gave a small nod.

It was only when Tsuna glanced behind her, that she noticed a presence near the shelves. When she turned around, she nearly fainted. Before her, was a tall, no doubt handsome, full grown, Kyoya. Time had not just been kind. It had been outrageously generous with him. Unfairly so.

"K-Kyoya?"

"We need to continue."

"W-what?"

Tsuna smiled. "We were just talking about the banquet and the ceremony. The future you wanted us all to help plan everything, so you called us together for a meeting."

"W-wait, what are you talking about?" Behind her, Kyoya let out a small breath.

"Your hand."

She looked down-

. . .

-and promptly fainted.

* * *

 _She didn't return to the future until a while later._

 _An strange occurance, as she wasn't anywhere near Lambo. She was walking home alone, when suddenly, pink smoke surrounded her again, and she found herself in an unfamiliar place. It wasn't the mansion, or the office, or Namimori._

 _After a bit of wandering, she found herself in a large room, much like the one in the mansion, resembling a living room. Upon seeing a figure sitting on an armchair with their legs crossed on the table, she immediately tensed and put her guard up. The stranger was intimidating, downright frightening. Inwardly, she cursed her future self for being in such a place. She didn't move a muscle when they began to speak._

" _This world is full of scum. Don't trust a single one of them."_

 _She didn't get to ask them what they meant as she found herself back in the past._

* * *

She was walking down the streets one night. It was eerily quiet. Not her type of atmosphere.

Ever since the attacks on the students and prefects, Namimori Middle had been on lockdown, and students were advised to stay home until further notice. Kyoya was on the verge of trampling down anything that talked to him, while she was stressed from all the work that had piled from the incidents. Maybe the stress was making her paranoid.

"Stop following me."

A pause, and the footsteps indicating someone's response to her command. Perhaps she wasn't paranoid.

"...Sawada Asuka?"

"And who are you?" The stranger didn't even bother replying, instead releasing a volley of what seemed to be needles. "...How rude."

. . .

The next day, when Asuka showed up to school with bandages on her arm and a cut on her cheek, Kyoya flipped.

* * *

 _The wind came across the mist._

 _A mysterious, reclusive mist_

' _Why are you hiding?', asked the wind._

' _I am not hiding.', replied the mist._

 _Despite its words, the mist continued to grow_

 _Shrouding itself in its own entanglement of hypocrisy and lies._

' _There is no reason to hide from yourself.'_

 _A breeze, gentle but commanding, dispersing the mist, leaving nothing but itself_

' _There is nothing to hide. You are beautiful._

 _You simply cannot see. Because you hide.'_

* * *

 **yay for foreshadowing woohoo i wonder who that scary dude was. 8/8**


	5. Agitato

She had a feeling that he'd go off on his own without telling her first. It annoyed her to no end. How hard was it to just send a message? It didn't even have to be long, a few words would be fine. At least a 'I'll be back', or a 'I'm going'. But this was Kyoya. He'd leave messages when pigs started flying. With a soft sigh, Asuka left the dark, empty room.

* * *

"Aren't you going to go after him?"

Asuka paused as she shuffled the papers on her desk. On the open windowsill stood Reborn. She couldn't fully see him from her position, but she could feel his stare on her back.

"... He isn't weak." But he wasn't necessarily all-powerful. She knew, but she didn't want to acknowledge the fact that Kyoya could be beat down like anyone else.

"The enemy isn't weak either. How are you sure that he'd beat them?" She wasn't. Perhaps it was the trust they've come to accumulate throughout their time together. Perhaps she just didn't want to believe that he'd lose.

"I don't know." A pregnant pause.

"Come down to the courtyard. I have something to give you."

The girl stood there blankly for a few moments before following the baby. The yard was empty, like the whole school. Only she and a few others were there, and even the teachers had stayed home to avoid any danger. The setting sun illuminated the field, the sky a bloody orange. There seemed to be no clouds in sight. Strange. There was no cooling breeze to calm her growing nerves. Reborn stood in front of her, and his shadow seemed to be a silhouette of someone else. In his tiny hands held a walking stick.

Upon taking it and holding it up close, she observed the fine craftsmanship that was put into the cane. The shaft was made of polished black steel, and the tip was reinforced with some type of heavy metal. The collar and pommel of the cane was truly beautiful, lined with silver and embellished with intricate engravings. She almost felt undeserving of such a exquisite piece of work.

"I had it made by our craftsmen when the attacks started. It's not exactly the best, but it'll do for now. Whether you use it as a weapon or not is up to you. But if you do, don't hesitate."

""And why are you giving me this?"

"It's your job as a guardian of Tsuna's family. Plus, the enemy isn't someone you can fight with fists alone."

Asuka gripped the cane. It somehow fit perfectly in her palms.

"Tsuna and the others are going tomorrow." She froze. "It was an order from the Ninth. But even so, this will help him physically and mentally-"

"No." She wouldn't. She couldn't let her brother fight people who could do such damage to others without sympathy. "He can't go there, he'll get-"

"Hurt?" Reborn's lips thinned. "People get hurt all the time. They get better sooner or later."

"But-"

"How do you expect him to grow stronger if you keep sheltering him all the time?" Her mouth opened to answer, but no words came out. "He's not as weak as you think he is, Asuka. You might think you're doing the right thing by not letting him get hurt, but you're just hindering him from his growth." His expression lightened. "And I told you already, I won't let him get hurt too badly. What kind of tutor would I be if I let my own student die?"

When she didn't say anything, the baby tipped his hat and starting walking away. "You'd better start going. I left some things you might need on your desk back there. I'll tell Mama that you're staying with a friend for the night."

* * *

 _Maybe it was because of her subconscious attachment to him that caused her to never doubt in him, whether it be his words or abilities. Not once had she questioned their trust. Perhaps it was time to realize that trust didn't simply revolve around blind conviction._

* * *

A breeze sent a chill down her spine as she stopped in front of the rusted gates.

With mountains of dirt and weeds, overturned chairs and tables, and shattered glass and structures, the former amusement park now seemed like a scene from an apocalyptic movie. Compared to the memories of fauna and flora, this place was full of dread and trepidation. Gingerly hopping over the gates, Asuka leaned on her cane, giving the area a long sweep before carefully treading through the dirt.

Overhead, she saw a dilapidated building, and an uncomfortable uneasiness suddenly weighed upon her. Gathering her wits, the girl sped ahead, hoping dearly that her friend wasn't in danger. When she arrived at the building, she could see bodies of students lying unconscious all over, no doubt the work of Kyoya. But it was too quiet. Far too quiet. She couldn't hear any metal clashing, or footsteps, or voices, or anything. Her anxiety went over the roof and she raced up the stairs, not caring if she accidentally stepped on someone.

' _Please be safe, please be safe, please be sa-'_

Her heart stopped the moment she saw a familiar-looking figure standing over his _beaten, bloody_ body. Her hands started to tremble and her grip on the cane loosened. She almost shrieked in despair when the person tossed him in her direction like a ragdoll. Almost tripping over her own feet, Asuka bolted towards his body and cradled his head close.

" _Kyoya, Kyoya, what the hell were you thinking?!_ _ **You stupid moron, you could have died!"**_

Hot tears were spilling down her cheeks, while Kyoya weakly glared at her in slight irritation. Despite his injuries, he attempted to push himself up, but to no avail as he collapsed back into her arms.

"Kufufu… How heartening."

Asuka paid no mind to the person. No, Kyoya was her first priority. But his injuries were so deep, _too deep_ , and she couldn't do a thing to help him. She was frightened to death, there was nothing she could do. She was useless.

"Oh? Aren't you that girl who defeated Chikusa? Sawada Asuka, was it? Sawada Tsunayoshi's elder sister?" Her fingers twitched towards her cane, which was left right next to her side. "Hm.. This saves me a lot of unnecessary trouble." Her hand clenched the metal. "You'd serve well for my purposes, though less effective than him." Her breath stopped short. "Sawada Tsunayoshi, that is."

In an instant, Asuka rushed towards the male with her cane in hand, snarling in anger. Doing such disgusting things to Kyoya was one thing, but threatening harm to Tsuna was on a completely different level. Before she could land a hit, a trident suddenly manifested in his hands, parrying her attack.

"Oya, oya. Impatient, aren't you? You didn't even let me introduce myself." Growling slightly, she pulled back before blocking his trident. Her skill with staffs wasn't exceptional, but it wasn't lacking either. The male smiled mockingly, "My name is Rokudo Mukuro-" He moved his head to dodge an incoming kick. "And I plan to take revenge on this loathsome world." Asuka barely moved back in time as the sharp blade nicked her jacket. "My goal is to use the mafia to create disorder, and then start a war to destroy this hideous place." The mocking smile came back. "And I intend to use your brother to accomplish this very task." Asuka's eyes flashed with animosity.

"Over my dead body," she spat out. In response, Mukuro simply jumped back and grinned.

"If you say so."

All of a sudden, he stepped aside. Asuka didn't know what to say or do. Because the moment she saw a _bloodstained, lifeless_ Tsuna lying behind him, she screamed bloody murder.

" _ **I will fucking kill you."**_

Once again, metal clashed with metal. But without warning, the moment she swung down, the metal cane extended and a honed blade protruded from its side. Mukuro was caught off guard by the sudden change, but Asuka was too intent on slaughtering the male to even care. She didn't care when she cracked his shoulder. She didn't care when he cut her leg. She didn't care when her blade ran across his torso and dug into his skin. She didn't even register the pain of her crushed arm. She was purely running on adrenaline and bloodlust. All she knew was that she wanted to murder the one in front of her, the one who harmed _her_ brother and friend. Her grasp on his hand tightened and tightened, adding to the pain of a ruined shoulder and causing his apathetic expression to falter in a grimace.

"Oya… Not bad. Even the skylark wasn't able to do such damage to me." The grimace on his face morphed into an annoyingly satisfied smile. "On the second thought, perhaps I should have you be my vessel instead."

Before she could even comprehend what was happening, a blade stabbed her in the torso, digging into her ribs and organs. Pain was all that she could perceive as blood dribbled down from the corners of her mouth. Her knees wobbled before collapsing, and as the adrenaline subsided, she felt the wound burn even more. From the corner of her vision, she could see him smirk _(she wanted to rip that smirk off his face so badly)._

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. It's nothing a small illusion can't conceal."

Her vision slowly blurred before fading to black.

* * *

Tsuna knew something was dreadfully wrong when his sister wasn't home the next morning and Reborn ignored his questions about her.

Asuka was strong, that he knew for a fact. She was even placed high up on the ranking list, right next to Yamamoto. She would be fine right? But despite the constant reassurance from Gokudera-kun saying that 'No way Onee-sama would ever be beaten by delinquents!', an anxious vibe kept him from accepting the consolations.

His fear became a reality when that man, Lancia, told him about a girl who came after another and was defeated by the real Mukuro. He never thought that there would be a moment in his life where he was so afraid, afraid of something happening to not himself, but his sister. The one who loved and cared for him despite his uselessness. A forceful kick to his head snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Don't just stand there. Didn't you hear what he said? Asuka's in trouble, and if we don't hurry, she might not make it."

"That's right, Tenth! We have to rescue Onee-sama and get her to safety right away!"

Tsuna felt a mix of emotions well up in his chest. She always did so much for him, and now it was time to return the favor.

* * *

Everything was black.

Asuka couldn't see anything beyond where she was standing. She didn't know where she was, or what she was in. Another one of the mafia's physic-defying tricks, she assumed. So when Mukuro appeared right in front of her, the same mocking yet amiable smile on his face, she didn't do anything but stare. Rather, she couldn't do anything but stare. As much as her want to wreck havoc upon him remained, she found herself weary and drained of all her energy. She could barely hold herself up, much less walk forward.

"Your brother is certainly very interesting." Her tired eyes flickered up to meet his amused ones, and she managed to spit out a few things.

"If you're even ten meters away from him, I swear that I'll haunt you forever, even in hell." His amusement seemed to grow at her threat, and he simply waved her off.

"Well, I can't seem to use your body for some reason. Perhaps, this is what they call one's dying will? I'll humor you with your brother and his friends then. They seemed quite shocked when I showed you to them."

Images flashed in her mind. She saw the moment they came into contact with him. When Fuuta appeared and stabbed Bianchi. When Tsuna was able to break Fuuta out of Mukuro's control. When he inflicted those wounds on Tsuna. When he used those 'illusions'. When Gokudera-kun came in with Kyoya _(he was okay thank heavens)._ When he revealed her bloody body after realizing sakura wouldn't work. When all of their faces contorted into different expressions. Rage, horror, hysteria. When Kyoya, despite his harsh injuries immediately attacked him again. When he was struck down. When Tsuna was shot by a special bullet. When he fought and stopped Mukuro. When he shot himself. When Tsuna's friends tried to attack him. When he lit his flames and defeated him. When those things came from nowhere and took them away.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"Did you not want to see their faces when they saw your body?"

"..."

"Kufufu, you're an interesting one, little bird."

"I don't want to be called that from someone like you."

"How rude." He smiled. "It seems that it is time for me to leave. I will see you again, Sawada Asuka." As he had suddenly appeared, he disappeared from the blackness, and her consciousness slowly faded once again.

" _Arrivederci."_

* * *

 _Just as Asuka had done to him for years and years, Tsuna held his sister in his arms tenderly and gently. Desperately whispering prayers, hoping that his words will mean something to someone who could help. Blood, both dried and fresh but not his, covered his body as he waited for help to arrive. He feebly tried to warm her cold body by pressing her closer. He tried to wrap up the large gash on her torso that just wouldn't stop bleeding. Compared to the others, her injuries were far worse, with the exception of Hibari-san. But even Reborn looked grave when he saw the extent of her wounds._

 _When Mukuro suddenly stopped in the middle of their fight and revealed the body of his sister, he didn't know whether it was one of his illusions or cruel reality. She was on the ground, a giant pool of blood surrounding her. A cane (or was it a bladed staff?) was next to her. Her eyes were closed. She looked peaceful. His heart stopped and he tried to convince himself that it was indeed a stupid illusion. But then he realized that it was indeed his sister. At first, he felt nothing. Then hysteria came crashing down on him when he realized the state of her body, how injured she was, that she could be dead. He almost broke down then if it wasn't for Reborn breaking him out of it._

 _He couldn't bear the thought of life without her. She was too important. Too important to ever let go of._

 _So he pleaded and pleaded, that someone please, please, please, save his sister._

* * *

 _The sky had always loved the wind._

 _From the beginning of time to the ends of eternity,_

 _It's adoration and devotion was as vast as itself,_

 _But it also hated the wind_

 _A hate for its selflessness; for its generosity_

 _Perhaps hate was the wrong word._

 _Perhaps, it was fear,_

 _Fear for the day the wind disappeared; leaving the sky with no one to love._

 _If it disappeared, maybe... the sky would too._

 _Maybe, the sky too, would be gone with the wind._

* * *

 **realized that i cant write angst whoops cant wait for more angsty shit in the future. 8/8**


	6. Rinforzando

In a dimly lit room, a girl sitting on a wheelchair rolled back and forth mindlessly. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and-

"Have you lost your mind?"

The rolling stopped, and the girl turned her head to give Hibari a deadpan stare.

"Yes."

About a week had passed since the incident with the Kokuyo students. In that past week, a few new rules had been created and enforced by Hibari. The first, under no circumstances shall Rokudo Mukuro's name be muttered, or even thought about, in his presence. Doing so would result in dire consequences. This was named the 'He-who-shall-not-be-named' rule by Asuka when she found out. Second, all cherry blossoms in the school campus would be uprooted and relocated to a more suitable part of Namimori. Third, Sawada Asuka by no means was allowed to leave her wheelchair unless permitted by Hibari himself. Resistance would result in binding of said girl to the contraption until a full recovery was made. This one, she named 'Infringement of Human Rights'. The first time she tried to protest, he threatened to break her legs so that she would have to use the chair. The second time, he had taken out his tonfas and almost came close to breaking her legs if it weren't for a conveniently placed cherry blossom tree right behind her.

And to be honest, who needs a wheelchair when one has a cane? Sure, she could barely walk when she first woke up, doubling over in pain due to her abdomen being cleanly cleaved through. But canes were so much more convenient. Unfortunately for her and fortunately for Kyoya, Reborn had taken the cane back for some upgrades and repairs after he spotted some chips here and there. Blasted, the gods weren't on her side after all.

"Stop doing that."

"Not until you let me out of this thing."

He gave her an unamused look. "Do you not remember what happened when you tried to walk without it?" Sadly, she did. She had defied his command and left her chair with much difficulty. A grimace appeared on her face when she recalled how she nearly fell to her death down the stairs.

"Well, excuse me for being all woozy and drugged up on morphine."

He rolled his eyes at her being leaning back and closing his eyes.

* * *

 _Tsuna had been there for the past two days._

 _Sitting right next to her hospital bed, waiting for her to wake up. One hour seemed like a year. One day seemed like a century. Two days seemed like a millennium. His eyes were burning from fatigue and his body was screaming for rest. His mother and his friends would urge him to return to his own bed, and even asked the nurse to place him in her room. But he didn't budge from her side. He could sleep there in his chair, and eat there, and watch over her there._

 _Reborn had said that Vongola's best surgeons were in charge of his sister. But if they were the best, then w_ _hy wasn't she waking up? Why was she attached to so many machines and wires, why was her breathing so shallow, why did she look so dead?_

' _Surgeons, not miracle workers, Tsuna. You saw how deep her wounds were. It's going to take a while before she's going to wake up.'_

 _A miracle. That's what he needed._

* * *

 _And a miracle was what he received._

* * *

" _-Like her punctured organs regenerated themselves. Even her bones show no sign of her previous injuries. It's almost as if it were magic, an illusion-"_

* * *

Hibari gave the large pile of food a scrutinizing look, and then proceeded to carefully pluck out a piece of chicken from a plate. Asuka happily munched on a slice of roasted duck dipped in marinade sauce.

"And why, is there so much food?"

"Apparently Papa is coming back so Mama decided to prepare a feast for him. And also because you refused to come when I called you so I brought it to you instead."

The thought of 'Papa' entered his mind while he ate. The last time he encountered the man was approximately two years ago, a few days before he disappeared. The slightest scowl graced his face when he remembered his last words to him.

' _Haha! Well, I'll be on a business trip to Madagascar for a while, so take care of Asuka, okay kid? If you do anything to her, I'll rip your organs from inside out and make sure you'll never reproduce, got it? Good! See ya, kid!'_

The annoyingly vibrant smile and pats on the back he received did little to minimize the intent behind those words. He did not realize that his chopsticks were cracking under the pressure of his iron grip until Asuka patted his hand lightly and gave him a peeved stare that said _'I did not give you chopsticks for you to break them in 10 seconds.'_ But she took out another pair -this one was metal made especially for him- and handed it to him while muttering 'boys' under her breath. Surely he wouldn't be able to break these. Unfortunately, the said boy took it as a challenge, and as a prideful warrior who would stop at nothing to defend his honor, the chopsticks broke in a record 1.74 seconds under the might of his tonfas. Asuka buried her face into her palms, inwardly crying at his ignorant stupidity and the misfortunes that had befallen her.

Hibari paid her no mind as he took her pair, wiped the ends with a napkin, and resumed his meal.

* * *

Perhaps, she should move to another town, far away from Namimori. Because, clearly, the peaceful and quiet Namimori that she had signed up for was existent no longer.

The moment Kyoya heard the explosions from the middle of town, he had raced off and left her to slowly and painfully wheel herself all the way over. She shared his dumbfounded face when she saw the ruins that was formerly Namimori Shopping Center. She shared his livid expression when she saw the heavily wounded students, Tsuna's friends to be exact, and the foreign silver-haired man with a sword in hand. She shared his intrigued expression when she caught a glimpse of the open box of rings. She did not share his apathetic expression the baby briefly explained the identity of the man. _He had once again put her brother in danger because of this Vongola Family._ She did not wave or smile back when Dino caught her stare and silently greeted her. She merely frowned and left with her friend.

* * *

It was during the morning that the doorbell of the Hibari residence rang.

In Namimori, there was no one stupid enough to even step ten meters in the vicinity of the residence, let alone ring the doorbell. So Asuka wondered what fool would stand on the doorstep. She got her answer when she opened the door to the tall form of her father, who was lazily picking his ear. The moment he saw her, his eyes lit up in delight and lifted her from her chair. She found her face being rubbed against his scraggly face, while he held her close in the air.

"Asuka, my baby! Papa hasn't seen you in so long! You've grown so much-"

As the man fawned over his daughter, an irked individual stood before them, emitting waves of annoyance.

"Papa-"

"My baby is so beautiful, just like her mother!-"

"Papa-"

"And you've become such a wonderful girl! You've even become the president of your school!-"

"Papa!"

Iemitsu paused to look at his disheveled daughter, and then to the murderous teen in front of them. A thoughtful look passed over his face, before morphing into a solemn expression. Setting her down in her chair, he pushed her back into the house and sat down on one of the couches in the living room, much to the chagrin of Hibari. Then, he stared at the two, eyebrows furrowed, hands clasped beneath his chin, and in a dead-serious tone, said.

"I hope you kept your word, boy." Asuka blinked, confused. Word? "Can I trust that you did not lay a single hand on my precious daughter?" Ah.

Hibari twitched, a look of annoyance and incredulity on his face. Asuka coughed into her fist.

"No, he did not. He would never do that in the first place."

Iemitsu frowned. "Asuka, you can never trust men. Especially pubescent young'ins."

"Hm. Exactly the reason I shouldn't trust you to talk about things like this." Her father gawked. "So, why are you here?"

"To check on you of course! Imagine my shock when I heard from Mama that you were staying with a boy! And that these kind of things were frequent!" He dramatically clutched his heart in mock pain. "To think... that my beautiful little girl would be taken away by a boy at such a young age-" His hand whipped out to point an accusing finger at Hibari. "You! You better be prepared for the day I disembowel you and render you unable to make children-"

" _Papa!"_ Asuka yelped. She would not have this talk, not with her Papa, not with Kyoya. "That's enough, stop it!" She wheeled towards him, ushering him off the couch and to the door. "Out, out, out!"

Iemitsu didn't seem to mind, gave a sharp look to Hibari, before turning to push his daughter instead. When they were out the house and on the road, Asuka huffed.

"Did you really come all the way here just to say stupid things like that?"

He laughed cheerily. "Can you really blame Papa? Who knows what teenagers do these days? You can never be too careful these days, so Papa thought he'd drop in a few words of warning."

The girl defeatedly groaned in humiliation, but accepted his answer anyway. Iemitsu looked dotingly at his daughter's reaction. She had grown taller, more beautiful and smarter than the last time he'd seen her. He was a proud father. Proud of her, proud of his son. His grip on the handles of the wheelchair tightened and his smile wavered.

"So… This wheelchair?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing too bad, but Kyoya insisted."

'Nothing too bad' she said. So to his daughter, a crushed arm, three fractured ribs, two punctured organs, and multiple bruises and cuts didn't register as anything too bad. His lips pulled down into a frown. If that wasn't bad, then what was considered 'bad' to her? In any case, he had no intention to find out, or was he going to let her test the extent of her tolerance. But right now, he had more crucial matters to deal with.

"Asuka."

She turned her head to look back at him, wondering why he stopped in the middle of the road. "Hm?"

"What's most important to you?"

It didn't take her longer than a second to give an answer.

"Tsuna," was the immediate answer. But after a few seconds, she elaborated. "Well, Papa and Mama as well, and Kyoya, too. Anyone I care for in general. But, I think that right now, Tsuna's most important." A small smile appeared on her face. "He's always in some sort of trouble, you know? So I have to protect him somehow, but I guess I can relax a bit nowadays, since he has his friends to rely on."

A fine answer. Iemitsu couldn't help but ruffle her hair and give her an affectionate hug.

"And what if Tsuna's like Superman? All powerful and mighty?"

She gave a nonchalant shrug. "Well, if he's Superman, then I can be Superwoman and watch his back."

He chuckled lightly. The gods had blessed him with a wondrous daughter , and he could only hope that she wouldn't have any hard feelings against him for his next actions.

Her hazel eyes widened the moment she laid eyes on and recognized the strange ring in his hand. They shot up to meet his in confusion and mild shock. Her mouth seemed to bob open in attempt to speak, but closed. His smile turned slightly guilty at the sight of his dumbfounded daughter, but he could understand her shock.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I really am. It was for your protection, but it can't be helped now. Not with the current circumstances." He grinned sheepishly. " With this, you're promising Tsuna to protect him with your life, though with your previous answer, I doubt that you wouldn't already."

She gave the ring a conflicted look, as if weighing the consequences of life and death.

"You can say no if you want."

Deep inside, he wanted her to say no. He had never intended for his children to be involved with the cruel underground world. But his lineage was something that couldn't be changed. She didn't have to become a guardian. She could simply be an advisor, or someone far away from the bloodshed. However, he knew that she wouldn't keep from the battlefield; it was not her personality to. He was sure that he could find another, perhaps not as suitable, but still able to perform their duties as a part of the famiglia. The moment he saw the resolve in her eyes, though, he knew that there would be no hunt for a replacement any time soon.

"It's okay. I'll do it."

A serene, accepting smile graced her face as she took the ring from his outstretched hand and wore it on her finger. No more words were needed as the two came to a mutual agreement about her official admission to the famiglia. The two continued peacefully down the roads of the neighborhood.

* * *

" _It is said that the first boss was like the sky that colors and engulfs everything. Thus, his ring was the 'Ring of the Sky'. And his followers who became his protectors were portrayed with the kinds of weather that color the sky. The 'Ring of Storm', the turbulence that fiercely whirls about. The 'Ring of Rain', the shower that washes everything away. The 'Ring of the Sun', the sun that illuminates the sky. The 'Ring of Cloud', the floating cloud that won't be caught by anyone and goes its own way. The 'Ring of Thunder', the lightning that holds a harsh strike. The 'Ring of Mist', the illusion that cannot be captured. The 'Ring of Wind', the unbound gale that supports the sky."_

* * *

"Ah, Dino-san."

Hibari glared at the said man.

"You know this herbivore?"

"Mhm, he's the mafia boss that I told you about. The one that trips over his own feet and can't use chopsticks."

With those comments, the blonde Cavallone felt his already ground-low self-esteem go into the negatives. Ah, women were such cruel beings.

"Hn."

As whip and metal clashed, Asuka rolled back and forth on her wheelchair, not particularly caring of the results of the spar. From the corner of her vision, she spotted a familiar child on the ground next to the forest. I-Pin was waving and motioning for her to come down. Curses, she inwardly thought to herself. How in the world was she supposed to get her wheelchair back down so quickly?

* * *

After a grueling 20 minutes and help from Kusakabe, Asuka was finally able to exit the building and find the child, who was patiently waiting for her. When she arrived, I-Pin smiled brightly and babbled on in her indecipherable language. Deciding it was best to simply follow, she told the child to lead, and slowly made her way through the trees.

After another five minutes or so, they finally reached a clearing, but when she looked around, I-Pin was nowhere to be found.

"You are Asuka, I presume?"

She was startled, to say the least, when she turned to see a baby in a red Chinese attire. What astonished her the most, was his uncanny resemblance to Kyoya. It was almost as if he had a child without telling her. The baby seemed to notice her epiphany, and acknowledged it with a kind smile.

"Kyoya is a distant relative of mine, so our appearances do resemble each other." He gave a slight bow before introducing himself. "My name is Fon, and per request of Reborn, I shall be your tutor for the next two weeks."

Managing to snap out of her thoughts, she gave a quick bow in return. "O-oh, I see."

"You are well acquainted with martial arts, yes?" After he was affirmed with a nod, Fon hopped over to her and assessed her physique. "You are injured?"

"Not really. I most likely can go without this thing, but Kyoya's a stubborn person."

"Well then, you will need this." Out of nowhere, a familiar cane appeared in his sleeves and she accepted it with care. "I was told by Reborn to give it to you. Apparently, it was reinforced with titanium, plated with chromium, and lined with gold leaf for some, and I quote, 'extra _oomph_ ' to showcase the wealth of the Vongola."

Leaning her weight on the cane, Asuka steadily pushed herself up and tried to walk about, immediately feeling the effects of atrophy on her legs. Obviously, Kyoya did not know what atrophy meant when he imprisoned her to the chair. After a few rounds of walking, she deemed her legs warmed up and ready to go. Fon, having hopped onto her shoulder a while ago, then instructed her to do some light running and jog ten laps around the forest. _She was so grateful for such a considerate tutor._

While she was making her way through the winding path of the forest, Fon asked her a question.

"Asuka, do you know the duty of the wind?" He received a huff in response. "The wind is supposed to guide. It accompanies the others, and sends them off in the right direction. It raises the sky and takes some of its burdens. The wind also protects the skies. Keeping the enemy at bay and forcing them to their knees. A fearsome force, truly." More huffing and puffing. "I do not know about the other guardians, but I do know that you are and will do an exceptional job raising this family."

Asuka's pants slowed as she came to a stop. Fon jumped off her shoulder and smiled.

"Now then, shall we continue?"

* * *

 _The world was dangerous._

 _The sky was a safe haven,_

 _but everywhere else was dark and bleak._

 _Only the strong prevailed;_

 _It was no matter, the wind was strong._

* * *

 ** _i changed a whole scene because i hated it with a passion. 8/8_**


	7. Feroce

" _Personally, I don't understand you at all."_

* * *

"Dying will flames?"

The term was familiar to Asuka, but she didn't exactly know what it was. Was it the flames that Tsuna had somehow concocted using his gloves during the fight with Mukuro? Fon nodded, pushing a steaming bowl of oden towards her. They were currently in the middle of the streets, and Fon was in his strange disguise once more.

"The dying will flames are the embodiment of one's life force. It can be compared to an aura, and different flames have different properties." Seeing her confused expression, Fon tried a more familiar comparison. "It is similar to _chi,_ a strong life force results in a lively and alert mind, while a weak force results in sluggishness."

"Alright, but what does that have to do with the current situation?"

Fon smiled. "It has everything to do with the situation. You see, there are eight different flames, and the ring you wear embodies one of them, the wind flames. You were chosen to become a guardian because of your affinity with the flame, exactly like how Tsunayoshi-kun was chosen to become the Sky."

"The Sky?"

"The flames are based off of the Sky and it's elements. The Storm, Rain, Sun, Lightning, Mist, Cloud, and Wind. In a way, they also reflect one's personality and nature. If you'd like a more detailed explanation, I believe Reborn would be more than happy to indulge you with the history of the flames."

"How about you?"

"I am a Storm."

"Storm? That doesn't seem to fit you.."

"A Storm is relentless and harsh. Would you like me to prove to you that I am?"

"... No, it's alright, I'll pass."

* * *

" _You're so strange. Always changing whenever I see you."_

* * *

Asuka was walking home from her tutoring session with Fon with an array of fresh new bruises.

She once said she would never trust babies in suits ever again. And now, it would apply to the robed baby as well. He was small. Barely tall enough to reach her knees, and yet, she had been beaten like a bowl of fresh eggs.

When she neared the park, a small explosion - _those seemed to occur a lot more lately_ \- drew her attention and she immediately went towards it. She then deemed it a horrible decision on her behalf, as she was faced with her brother and his friends and a strange group of intimidating individuals dressed in black. The atmosphere was strained and apprehensive, and her skin crawled from the killing intent rolling off of the men.

Though her initial plan was to stay still and step in only when necessary, again, luck was not on her side. One of the people in black noticed her presence right away, and a grin spread on their face. Before she could react, the person - _a boy her age_ \- appeared right in front of her. Upon their close proximity, she took in his appearance. His hair was a pale ash brown, and his skin was equally as pale. His light blue eyes were staring challengingly into her own. He would have actually been quite nice to look at if it weren't for the strange red teardrop tattoo under his eye.

Her hands twitched as the boy took a lock of her hair in his hands and smiled.

"You have something I want, _bella._ "

Asuka felt cold metal on her neck, and the boy's smile turned sinister. She could hear Tsuna and the others yell out in alarm, and from the corner of her vision, she could see a man _-had she seen him before?-_ whose hand was ignited with flames. The one second of distraction was enough to pull her attention away from the boy.

"Don't mind if I take it right?"

The moment the blade was about to puncture her skin, the unmistakable, resonating voice of her father halted all movement within the area. The metal left her skin, the flames from his hands dissipated, and her father stepped out into the clearing with some others dressed in suits.

"That's enough, Xanxus. From here on, I'll take charge of things."

Her grip on her cane eased, but the boy in front of her didn't move away. Instead, he turned away from the group and gave her another smile, this time, a jovial and carefree one. If anything, it seemed as if he didn't just attempt to pierce her neck, but as if they were friends. It was unnerving, to say the least. But then, she heard her father explain his involvement in regards to the situation, and a look of surprise appeared on her face when she heard his position in the Vongola. After he had given her the ring, she had expected him to be somewhat important, but her expectations nowhere as close to what he said he was.

"You didn't know, _bella_? That your papa was part of the Vongola?" The boy next to her glanced at her with a strange look. "He did a lot of things, you know. Good and bad. More bad than good, in my opinion." His hand, the one without the metal claw, came up to his face and stroked his chin. "He's annoying, and always messes with us."

He took her hand into his, and Asuka was unable to pull away from his bruising grip. The eerie smile came back as he traced the ring on her finger, revealing his own. "See, _bella_? There are two, and they will be mine." His eyes flickered up to look at hers once more. "But I don't want to carve up such a pretty _bella_ , so I'll give you one chance to give it to me, _va bene_?"

Grimacing at his vice grip, she used all her might to pull her wrist away, before giving him a hard gaze. She was about to reply when her father interrupted.

"Those who wield the same type of ring will fight in a one-on-one battle."

Her eyes widened as she has no idea what was going on due to the boy's constant interruptions. The said boy grinned again and hummed to himself in amusement.

"Hm… Then I'll be fighting the _bella_? Well, I gave you a merciful chance, but you didn't take it, so it seems fair, yes?"

He started to walk towards the group, who were called the Varia if she remembered correctly. Before he reached them, he turned around and gave a small wave.

"I forgot to introduce myself. Raphael is my name. I'll see you later, _bella_."

* * *

" _It's sort of annoying, actually. I can never know whether you're lying or not."_

* * *

The wind was cool on her burning, sweating skin.

Her hands were wrapped tight around her cane, which was in the form of a glaive. After the fight with Mukuro, she had asked Reborn about the extended blade, in which he replied, "Just a small precaution." So she dismissed it and went along with it. The once unmarred trees and foliage in the forest were now littered with scars from the blade and dents from her kicks.

A thousand times, Fon had told her. A kick and swing practiced a thousand times each would satisfy him. And so ten thousand marks cluttered the trees. Ten thousand indents strewn across the forest.

Then he told her to be at ease, to calm her mind. And so she sat on the grass, closing her eyes and pacifying her heart. While she was resting, he had sat in front of her and told her about her flame.

Similar to lightning flames, wind flames can be used offensively and defensively. Annihilation and cultivation. Total destruction or refining nourishment. A catastrophic gale during a storm or a soft, caressing breeze at midday.

She could be both. She was both.

* * *

" _Me? Of course I do. Isn't lying what humans love to do the most?"_

* * *

Her eyes followed the movement of the two men as they fought in the bright ring. They both had beautiful forms, especially the one from the Varia.

It was a rather one-sided and unfair fight, as he had sunglasses while Ryohei did not. The Varia were laughing maniacally at them, spouting nonsense about how he'd never beat them. She grimaced when his fist shattered against the metal knee of the other one. Again, unfair and one-sided, though it was expected from such cruel people.

A sigh left her mouth and she ran her hand through her hair. She looked away, not wanting to watch any longer. She could tell that Tsuna and the others were tense. It was natural that they would be, but was the trust they had in each other so miniscule that it would be like this? Patting her shaken brother on the back, she gave him a small smile and told him that Ryohei wasn't the type to give up.

It'd be wrong if she said that he would be okay, or that they should believe that he would win. It was one thing to encourage people, but it was another to give false hope. _But that would make her quite the hypocrite, wouldn't it?_

And then she heard the loud shattering of glass, and turned her head towards the significantly dimmed ring. She took off her sunglasses and squinted to see shiny crystal like structures in the air. She was impressed, maybe a bit baffled, that a person like him was able to think of something like that and use it to his advantage. A risky strategy, but a strategy no less.

But it seemed that it would take more than simply strategizing to defeat the Varia. His opponent performed the same feat, and easily crushed his other fist with his knee. A sudden cry took her attention off the match, and she found Sasagawa Kyoko and another girl standing near them. The disapproving, panicked look on the girl's face when she pleaded her brother not to fight caused Asuka's stomach to churn.

The girl shouldn't say such a thing when her brother thrives off of the excitement of fighting. As a sister, she could sympathize, but how could the girl understand their situation as it was? How could she fathom the depth of their circumstances?

 _She acknowledged herself as a hypocrite, and that would never change, even to the grave._

* * *

" _But if it's you, then I don't really mind."_

* * *

He was five.

Five years old.

And now he was being forced into a death match with an experienced assassin.

Asuka had thought that the mafia was disgusting and cruel before, but her contempt increased tenfold at the words of the judges. Perhaps this was why Mukuro had so loathed this world. It was inhuman not only to adults, but to harmless children who did nothing wrong. If this was his reason, then she could, she did, understand his motives. Whatever spurred his intents must have been sickening.

Her fingernails dug into skin as the man kept hitting Lambo like a ragdoll. He was five. Fucking five. A person who would willingly do such abhorring things to a child was lower than vermin. She was tempted to go slaughter the man right then and there, but held back her revulsion as Lambo pulled out a familiar purple weapon and launched it at himself. Smoke filled the arena before revealing an older Lambo, the one she had saw in the future.

But she could tell in one glance that he was still to naive and weak to face that poor excuse of a human being. Her thought was proved correct as multiple parabolas surrounded and shocked him with currents of electricity. Though, she hadn't expected him to pull out the bazooka once more.

Once again, the area filled with purple smoke, and revealed a different man.

This time, she could tell he was not the Lambo she knew. He was not naive, not childish, not carefree. She could see the solemnity of this man. It was one that was caused by the exposure to things bleak and dark.

Her eyes met his downcast eyes. She did not want to understand the sorrow behind them. A small, wistful smile pulled at his lips.

"It's been a while, _sorellona_."

* * *

" _Hm? What do I mean? Haha! Nothing, nothing."_

* * *

He couldn't make it in time.

Time waited for no one, and Lambo was no exception.

Before his attack could hit the man, smoke enveloped him once more and five year old Lambo was back.

Unprecedented rage filled her as the man resumed brutally assaulting the child, with no remorse or guilt, only anger and humiliation. She took one step. One step to decimate the man and feed him to the animals in the sewers. But she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Now, now, _bella,_ don't be hasty."

Raphael stood next to her, ignoring the glares and looks he was receiving from her father and the rest of the family.

"As much as I don't want to hurt the _bella_ too much _,_ I want to fight you. So don't get your ring confiscated, _bene_?" A smile appeared on his face. "And your _fratellino_ has already gone to stop Levi, so no need to step in."

As he had said, she saw that Tsuna had disappeared from her side and gone to stop the man from mauling Lambo any further. A bright, orange flame flickered proudly on his forehead, and she was once again reminded of how far her little brother had come.

But that rage flared once again as Tsuna was hurled to the other side of the roof by the man who claimed to be the boss. If not for Raphael, she would have decapitated him with one strike of her glaive. She would have replaced that bloodthirsty smirk with a blood smeared face.

She would force him on his knees and apologize. She would not have mercy on him. He did not deserve such kindness from her.

 _She was not as kind as one might think. She was not as forgiving as her brother, who held no grudges. She may have forgiven, but she did not forget._

* * *

" _Anyways, I'll ask you one more time."_

* * *

"You're leaving already?"

Asuka stood at her parents door, watching her father put on a black tie in front of the mirror. She knew from yesterday why he had to leave. The Ninth, his boss, might be in grave danger because of the man Xanxus, and as the external advisor of the Vongola, he had to go back to Italy to find the Ninth.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed that he had to leave so soon.

"Yeah. I have to make sure Xanxus didn't do anything to the Ninth."

Only the sound of rustling clothes and papers were heard as Iemitsu placed documents and folders in a small black case.

"When are you coming back?"

She had meant to say, 'Will you come back?'. But it had seemed too desperate for her. ...It was normal, right?

Her father, all dressed and ready to go, came up to her and smiled softly. A large, calloused hand came up to ruffle her hair dotingly.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

He placed a quick kiss on her forehead and left her standing alone.

"...Come home soon, Papa."

* * *

" _Will you come with me?"_

* * *

"Fon, can you teach me your style?"

The red clad baby looked at his temporary pupil in mild surprise. He had somewhat expected a request like this, but there was simply no time. It could be her turn to fight tomorrow, and teaching her would be no use. His style was difficult, downright backbreaking and hellish to achieve and perfect. But it return, it was invincible, a masterpiece in its own.

Though, from what he had heard about her opponent from Reborn, her current abilities would prove inefficient against a seasoned fighter.

"... I can. But will you be able to do it in the time that we have?"

"It's alright. I can skip the battles to practice." The word "skip" felt foreign on her tongue, but Reborn said that it would be fine, since Tsuna would also have to skip in order to perfect the technique he was learning.

"It's extremely strenuous on the body. Can you handle it?"

"You never know unless you try, right?"

Fon had to admit, that of all the students he had ever taken under his wing, Asuka was his favorite. Her potential was bottomless, and her natural abilities were remarkable. Her will to learn and process new techniques and forms far exceeded others. She was constantly improving, always striving and taking a step more than anyone else.

She was quite the admirable person.

"We'll start today then. There's no time to waste."

A natural born wind, he supposed.

"Say, have you ever heard about the Arcobaleno?"

* * *

" _..."_

* * *

"Sawada Asuka."

When she turned around, she had expected a man in a hideous green uniform holding a trident in his hand. She had not expected a girl who looked strangely identical to him.

"I thought you were a male?"

"Kufufu… As amusing as always." The girl smiled, again it was identical to his. "She is simply my new vessel, as I am occupied in a prison."

The girl sat down on the seat in front of her. "I've come to secure my end of a favor. I'm sure you are aware with the circumstances of your recovery, are you not?"

So, he was the one after all. She had her suspicions after the doctors blabbed to her about the miraculously impossible feats of her regenerated organs and bones, and it seemed that her intuition was correct. She leaned her cheek on her palm, waiting for her/him to speak.

"This girl's name is Nagi, though she'd most likely prefer that you call her Chrome. She became my vessel after an accident that severely damaged her internal organs. I was able to use my illusions to create organs to support her body, but it does not change the fact that she is still physically weak." Her hands clasped together and her chin rested on her fingers. The ring on her finger did not go unnoticed by Asuka. "So I'd like you to make sure nothing happens to her, since I cannot do much in this state. All you have to do is make sure that she is not too badly harmed, and that she is well taken care of. It's quite a fair proposal."

"...Alright."

Chrome, or Mukuro, smiled at her. "Then you have my acknowledgement."

Strange, he couldn't even say 'thanks' or 'gratitude'. "But," Her eyes stared at her in question. "Tell me, why do you want to destroy this world so badly? Is it because they did something to you?" Her eyes hardened, and Asuka knew she hit the nail in the head.

"I never did explain my reasons, did I? Well, since being stuck in a tank of water can be quite the bore, I'll humor myself by telling you then. Though, it's quite the tearjerker if I do say so myself."

Asuka rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure to cry a few tears then." She hummed in response.

"A long time ago, I was taken by a family called the Estraneo. They were rather cruel; human experimentation was their forte, after all. The subjects were mostly, if not all, children. We were tested on each day, given drugs and vaccines to test, and were abused in every way possible. The weak ones died within the first few tests, while the stronger ones were exposed to even more pain and suffering. Strange, isn't it? They say that only the strong will survive, but in reality, they only suffer more." Her hand touched the black eyepatch over her eye. "It was through the experiments that I received this eye, this power. So I swore that I'd destroy the mafia and the rest of the world with this power."

"Why the world? Why not just the mafia?"

"Because they did nothing to stop it. The things that the mafia do are not secrets to the government. And yet, they did nothing to stop the loathsome deeds. Absolutely nothing. Do you think they should be punished? For letting innocent children suffer and die?"

No, they deserved retribution as well.

"Tell me, what would you do?"

 _She understood him. His actions. Though it did not justify the pain he caused for her brother, it broadened her perception of this world. She saw now, the brutality, the ruthlessness, of humanity._

* * *

" _That's fine. But if you ever want to leave, I'll be right there, okay?"_

* * *

At two, he was abandoned.

At four, he was adopted.

At seven, he was kidnapped.

At eight, he was abused.

At nine, he experienced his first kill.

At ten, he found twisted salvation.

At eleven, he met his new family, and he smiled once again.

At thirteen, he was included in a plan.

At fifteen, he was told that he was important.

At sixteen, he wore a ring on his finger. He met another wearing the other half.

At sixteen, he made a new friend.

* * *

" _I'll see you next time, then."_

* * *

 _The wind of freedom blows,_

 _It sends hope and ambition through the skies._

 _Understanding of the world,_

 _Because it has seen and heard from its travels across the lands_

 _It knows of the joy of the strong_

 _And the suffering of the weak._

* * *

 ** _after a year i forgot 96% of what the italics were about but i think i remember now.. probably. 8/8_**


	8. Deciso

_They all sat anxiously in the room, waiting for a message to come._

* * *

Asuka choked on her breath as her torso was hit yet again by her mentor.

She couldn't see. Rather, she wasn't allowed to see. A blindfold was wrapped around her eyes, causing her to only have her hearing to rely on. Fon was stealthy and quick, making it difficult to feel or pick up on his steps. Not to mention he was a baby, which only made things more difficult.

They had begun training long before the sun rose, and it was already late morning. Despite her attempts to locate him before she was hit, Asuka simply could not. To her, it was impossible. Fon had told her to reach out and feel her surroundings, to use her intuition to find him. But how?

"Feel it, Asuka, and understand it."

How was she supposed to understand her surroundings if she didn't even know how to feel it? Frustration burned inside her as she mindlessly swung her cane towards the spot where she heard the rustling of leaves. She hit nothing but air, but something hit her instead. Again, she swung towards that particular direction, but yelped as she hit a stone and fell back.

"You're being impatient. You musn't be reckless." Asuka pulled the blindfold up and sighed in defeat.

"But I _can't_ do this _._ I- This is impossible."

"Limits are set by no one but yourself. It is only impossible because you believe it to be."

"Then how am I supposed to do this?"

"Use your intuition."

" _How?"_

"There is no true explanation for it. You must simply understand it."

She held back the urge to smack her face and curl up into a ball. How was she supposed to do something she didn't understand? Asuka begrudgingly stood up and placed the blindfold back on, hoping that her 'intuition' would somehow 'awaken' and save her from any more bruises. But that was not the case, as fifteen more minutes passed without a single improvement on her part. His assault on her was soon halted, and she heard Fon speak.

"...Perhaps it is not yet awakened. Or was it sealed? You should have been able to predict almost everything, and yet…"

A few quick moments passed before he jumped onto her shoulder, startling her in the process.

"We'll need to find Reborn. I'll lead the way, but I won't say everything. Think of it as an extension of this training."

* * *

 _The doors were slammed open to reveal a frantic messenger breathing heavily, hands on his knees. Some rose, others remained on the edge of their seats with bated breaths. He resisted the urge to scream at him to hurry and speak. Instead, he sank further into the velvet cushion and poured himself a glass of wine._

* * *

Tsuna had never actually heard his sister curse. So his ears were enlightened with the crude words that contradicted Asuka's usually sophisticated language as she tripped on a nearby bush yet again. Next to him, Basil and Reborn watched in mild fascination as she gingerly walked forwards with her arms extended out to feel the space before her.

"Fon, are we there yet?" The red-clad baby was sauntering towards them with a polite smile on his face, ignorant of his sister's questions. "...Fon? Fon."

"Now, now. Patience is virtue. Do not worry, we are here. But do not take the blindfold off." The baby, Fon, then bowed to them in greeting and turned to Reborn. "It seems that her intuition has not yet been fully waken."

Reborn nodded in understanding, glancing at Asuka with his beady eyes. "That's understandable. I can shoot her with a Dying Will Bullet, but I'll spare her the humiliation. Basil, the pills."

Basil took out a small clear case of round pills and handed two to Fon, who bowed once again in gratitude. He walked back over to Asuka and jumped on her shoulder.

"Open your mouth, please."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she opened her mouth anyway. Then, Fon forced the pills into her mouth and clamped it shut with his small hands. A startled squeal erupted from her mouth, but was muffled as she choked on the pills and swallowed with difficulty. He then jumped off and stood in front of her, waiting to see a change. A moment passed, and they watched as a white wispy flame appeared on her forehead.

A sudden gunshot rang through Tsuna's ears. Before he could blink, his sister moved to left, and the tree behind her was impaled by a smoking bullet. Fon smiled in satisfaction and Asuka pulled the blindfold off. Her eyes were sharp and analytical, and glowed a soft gold. She frowned at the two babies.

"What did you do?"

"I gave you pills that cause one to enter Dying Will Mode. Though, technically, you are in Hyper Dying Will Mode, since you ingested two." Her eyes narrowed, looking over at the case in Basil's hand.

"Hyper Dying Will Mode?"

"In a nutshell, it is basically a calmer and more logical-minded version of Dying Will Mode. Now, then, put the blindfold back on please." Fon turned to look at Tsuna. "Tsunayoshi-kun, I would like you to have a light spar with her." The boy flinched at the request.

"What?! I can't do that! She's my sister!"

"Don't go making excuses, Tsuna." Another gunshot rang and a bright orange flame appeared on his forehead.

" _Reborn!"_

"Don't go easy on her now, Tsunayoshi-kun."

* * *

" _-89 confirmed dead, 94 missing in action, 77 injured, 108 unidentified or unknown-"_

* * *

She felt strange. Light and weightless. The white flame on her forehead felt cool against her skin somehow.

It was a foreign feeling, but it wasn't uncomfortable. A familiar warmth filled her body, and she felt more _aware._ Though the blindfold still obstructed her view, she felt as if the world around her was suddenly visible. A breeze blew past, and her tied hair fluttered in the air. With the wind, came Tsuna. She had heard his loud exclamations and his steps as he neared her.

She ducked right before his fist grazed her cheek and jumped to the left as his leg raised up to knee her. She couldn't see. But this time, she didn't need to see. She simply needed to reach out and understand. Once again, she dodged a punch and evaded a kick. Tsuna's voice bellowed with each strike, but she never tried to return a hit on him. Something suddenly tugged at her mind, and she narrowly avoided being hit by someone or something.

"Asuka, Basil-kun will be joining as well. Don't let your guard down."

The feeling of cold metal brushed against her arm and she raised her cane just in time to parry him.

"Also, please don't feel the need to hold back."

She had no qualms about not holding back, but if it was against Tsuna, then she was reluctant. But as she went on without ever hitting the two with too much force, his loud yell slowly broke her hesitation.

" _ **Fight me with your dying will!"**_

As the three sparred, their tutors looked upon them with satisfaction, though mostly on Fon's part.

"It seems that her intuition has finally awakened. The Vongola blood truly does flow in her veins."

"Impressive, she's improved since last time. Have you started teaching her your style?"

Fon nodded, eyes following his students movements. "The basics, yes, but she will not be able to learn and utilize everything in such a short time. It is impossible, even for someone with such great potential. It took me years to create and perfect such a style, so for someone to learn it in a week is unfathomable."

Reborn frowned in understanding. "I see."

"But, I never meant for her to master my style. I taught it to her so she could make it her own. "

* * *

" _-and enemy engaged in battle. Status currently unknown. Reinforcements arriving soon-"_

* * *

"...Chrome?"

The girl looked up and flinched, immediately looking away shyly. Asuka held back a frown and a grimace. Her resemblance to Mukuro was unsettling, and it would take her a while to get used to it. But for now, she would just have to face it and move on. She placed a bag on the worn table and gave the place a quick glance. Dirty.

"Where are the other two?"

The girl mumbled an incoherent answer, blushing and still not meeting her eyes. Breathing out a sigh, Asuka walked to a nearby couch and down, ignoring the dust and grime.

"Look, I know that you don't know me and I don't know you, but could you please stop being so shy? Speak up."

"I-I don't know.." Her voice was barely above a whisper. It was only because of the emptiness in this place that allowed her words to be heard. "K-Ken and Chikusa.. They t-told me that they'd be back…"

"Did they tell you where they were going?"

"T-they said that they were getting food…"

"Hm." Asuka stood and went back to the table where her bag was. She took it and placed it next to Chrome, who flinched again. Inside the bag contained a few lunches for the girl and the other two, Ken and Chikusa. There were also drinks and some fruit and healthy snacks. She had doubted the two would bring back anything healthy. After what Mukuro told her about Chrome, it was clear that the girl needed nutritious foods instead of manufactured junk to sustain her poor health. "Don't eat what they bring back. Eat this instead."

She handed her a lunchbox and a bottle of tea, but the girl just stared at her with strange eyes.

"You're a nice person."

She was not expecting her to say that. Her first few words to her were quite rude to her standards.

"Mukuro-sama told me about you. He said that you might be a bit rude to me, but you're not."

Her eye twitched when she mentioned Mukuro. Talking behind her back now, was he? She waved her off anyway. "I don't particularly want to know what he said about me. But since you're part of Tsuna's family now, I can't just ignore you. That and I owe him a debt." Her eyes narrowed. "And you tell him that if he ever touches Tsuna, I'll make sure he'll want to stay in prison forever."

The girl briskly nodded, but didn't say anything else. Seeing that the awkward atmosphere between them wouldn't lift anytime soon, Asuka decided it would be best to take her leave.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I hope you don't mind oden."

* * *

 _The messenger was about to finish the report, when another came barging in, looking even more hysterical and frenzied. It was as if-_

* * *

"Do you know anything about your opponent?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Reborn was sitting at the dining table drinking espresso while Asuka peeled potatoes. Tsuna was taking a well deserved nap, and Mama was out buying groceries. It was relatively quiet in the house compared to before, but she could hear the thoughts churning in his head.

"I looked him up in the Vongola database. The information on him was scarce, but I've read enough reports of his missions to get the jist of it." Asuka hummed in response, refilling his empty cup with steaming coffee before going back to her potatoes. "He's a dangerous one, that Raphael."

"A lot of things are."

"He was recruited into the Varia when he was ten. Ever since, he's never failed a mission. He's killed countless people in cold blood, Asuka. You'd be a fool to think he's not dangerous."

"...Ironic, that his name is Raphael then."

Reborn took a sip of his drink, silently agreeing with her. "Satirical, actually. Naming a person like him after the archangel of healing. It's practically blasphemy." She laughed, eyes crinkling in slight mirth.

"Well, isn't the whole Varia blasphemous? They're all technically named after demons, after all."

He only smirked in response.

* * *

 _The glass in his hand shattered into a million pieces. Red, blood and wine, dripped down his palm onto his clothing and the cushion, staining it a dark vermillion. His head leaned into the back of the seat, eyes closed. An unknown ire burned in his chest. But his face showed nothing but apathy. Not like the others didn't know better. They saw._

* * *

Asuka's lips quirked upwards despite the fact that Gokudera was being obviously overpowered by the one called Belphegor.

Kyoya would have a field day once he saw the damage they were doing to the school. Nearly all the windows on the floor they were on were shattered, and some of the walls were already blown through by dynamite. The walls and doors were littered with craters and impaled by knives. No doubt there would be even more destruction by the time the match was over.

She raised an eyebrow as the bombs accelerated and approached the blond boy like rockets. An interesting tactic, propelling the dynamite to make their course less predictable and quicker. She winced at the piercingly loud explosions the bombs created, and prayed for the school to stay intact.

Thankfully, the school did indeed stay intact. However, the 'prince's' sanity didn't seem very unscathed. Quite the opposite. He was most likely insane, she concluded. Insane and a masochist triggered by the sight of his own blood. Were all the people in the Varia such madmen, or was he just being extra?

In any case, the sight of his blood only seemed to stimulate his bloodlust even more as he rushed towards Gokudera with knives in hand. She could only grimace when his face was marred with multiple cuts and wounds. As much as it was a norm by now, she never really dealt well with blood, especially in quantity, though over the years, she had gotten used to Kyoya coming home with red all over. Not his though. It was almost never his.

She slightly flinched yet again as the library was blown up by dynamite. Pity, there were quite a few new books that they had received this year.

A small smile appeared on her face as Gokudera emerged from the smoke, seemingly victorious over Belphegor. It all but disappeared the moment he reached to get the second half of the ring, and was taken off guard by the boy, who lunged to grab his.

Her lips thinned and eyes narrowed as the two struggled to gain the advantage over the other in an useless scramble for the ring. Her hands tightened into hard fists when the judges announce the detonations of the hurricane turbines. She hoped that somewhere inside that genius brain of his, Gokudera had enough sense to realize his importance to Tsuna and to _get the hell out of there._

Her frown only deepened as he started spouting idiotic things about being unworthy to be Tsuna's right hand man. Why couldn't he realize that he would have no chance of that position if he was dead? She was always exasperated at men and their pride. They were simpletons who couldn't think to save their lives, no matter how high their IQ was. And right now, Gokudera was a fine example of one.

Tsuna's words brought her back to reality though. His proclamations of wanting him to stay alive and stay by his side seemed to bring Gokudera's rationality back as well.

Smoke filled the air as the machines detonated throughout the floor. A tense silence surrounded them all, but as soon as Gokudera stumbled out of the fumes, relief filled their bodies.

They immediately rushed towards his collapsed form, and Asuka gave him a look over before sending him a disapproving look.

"Well, you could have handled that more gracefully and with less damage to the school, but you're still alive so I'm letting you off this time."

Tsuna winced at his sister's blunt comment, but returned his attention to his Storm. There was no disappointment or regret, only jubilant solace.

"Voi." Asuka turned to see the Varia standing a few meters away. The long haired one spoke with a mocking smirk on his face. "What a laughable ending. With this, your lives are finally guttering like candles in the wind."

The cloaked baby _-were they somehow related to Reborn?-_ spoke up. "Besides, so far, your holders of the rings of the Cloud and Mist haven't appeared. If your contenders don't turn up, we'll win by default, and everything will be over."

Asuka resisted the urge to roll her eyes at them. Obviously patience was not one of their virtues. But then again, they were named after the vices - _and an angel_ -.

Suddenly, a man dressed in the black uniform appeared in front of the Varia. She swore she heard screaming and crashing below them.

"Captain Levi! Someone has breached the perimeter of the school building. The Levi Thunder Unit is being picked off one by one!"

She would have scoffed at the narcissistic name, but she was too busy being amused at the person picking off the unit one by one. Speaking of the devil, indeed.

"What do you think you're doing in my school?"

"Kyoya!" She waved at him with a smile, in which he returned with a deadpan look. She only watched with hilarity as he nonchalantly tripped the large man charging at him. She only watched with mild interest and surprise when Yamamoto evaded his tonfa with ease and dexterity that was not present before. She only watched in amusement as he was easily swayed by the thought of the opportunity of biting Mukuro to death.

She stood and brushed her clothes off when he started to leave. Turning to her brother, she ruffled his hair and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Tsuna, tell Mama I'll be with Kyoya, okay?"

She chose not to acknowledge the curious pair of eyes following her.

* * *

 _He saw the night sky through the large window behind him. Strange. Has it always been raining?_

* * *

She followed Kyoya back to his house, letting herself fall onto the soft couch in his living room. His soft glare didn't deter her from sinking further into the cushions.

"How was your training?"

"You lied."

Her head craned to look at her friend. "About what?"

"The bronco. He wasn't like what you said."

She blinked. Had she said anything about Dino before? A moment of pondering, and she remembered something about tripping over his own feet. She chuckled, also remembering how he was utterly and unconditionally useless without his subordinates.

"You haven't seen him without his subordinates right?" She received a grunt in response. "So you have no reason to call me a liar until you have."

"Hn."

She felt something small nestle into her hair, and when she brought her hand up to feel it, it pecked her lightly. Asuka blinked, wondering when Kyoya had gotten a bird, but dismissed it anyway. The small animal perched itself on her finger, and she lowered it to her face. It was tiny and fluffy, with yellow feathers and a small beak.

"Hibari! Hibari!"

She glanced at said boy, who shrugged in response, before cooing at the sheer adorableness of the creature. Her other hand reached up to softly caress its feathers, the bird quietly chirping in response.

"What's its name?"

"...Hibird." She could only laugh at the name choice while Kyoya scowled.

"Say Asuka. A-su-ka."

The bird cocked its head a few times, as if debating to repeat after her. Asuka repeated her name a few more times, trying to coax the bird to echo her. After a few minutes, the bird finally chirped out.

"Asuka! Asuka!"

Kyoya watched with an indifferent expression as she brightened in success.

* * *

 _It seemed as if the heavens were crying for them._

* * *

Asuka absentmindedly tapped her fingers on the metal fence of the roof.

Behind her, Kyoya was lounging on the water tank. Apparently, he had been unaware about the ring battles until Dino told him yesterday. She had teased him about it when he showed up despite his initial disinterest towards the situation; her head still throbbed in mild pain from when he bonked her with his fist.

A sudden chill fell upon them, and she noticed a thin veil of fog surrounding the area. She looked towards the gymnasium, where the shroud seemed to thicken. Strange, how he showed up this late into the matches.

When she looked away, she saw Tsuna and his friends exit the crumbling building, and a large projection of the field inside appeared on one of the walls. The interior was destroyed, with only a few platforms here and there to allow fighting space. Water continuously flowed down and filled the area.

"Begin the battle!"

The long haired man, Squalo, immediately dashed forward, swinging his blade at Yamamoto. The latter ducked in the nick of time, avoiding the sword and the projectiles stored in the weapon.

Asuka whistled lowly, impressed by the massive improvement of Yamamoto's movements as he defended himself with one of his sword forms. To be able to wield a style in such a short time was admirable, and to be so fearless while facing a veteran swordsman. She supposed, a natural born hitman, as said by Reborn.

But as much as he was a natural born hitman, he was merely a civilian who was caught up in this whole mafia business. He was a good-natured kid who would never hurt someone willingly. The mafia was no place for someone like him. Proving her thoughts even further, he didn't even bother to use the blade, instead opting to use the blunt side. She couldn't decide if it was because of pure stupidity or his nature. But the rain was supposed to represent tranquility. It justified his actions to a point.

Squalo didn't seem to fit tranquility though. His attacks were unrelenting and harsh. His personality was fiery, nothing like Yamamoto. If she didn't know better, she would have thought that he was a storm. Then again, rain and storm were quite similar, weren't they?

As their battle continued, it became clear that Squalo had no qualms about killing him, while Yamamoto only fought to get the ring. Yamamoto's body was covered in injuries and blood, while the long haired man barely had any wounds.

Squalo was smirking, going on about how he already defeated the Shigure Souen Ryu style. Yamamoto remained steadfast in his opinion that his style was flawless and invincible. Again, she couldn't tell if it was stupidity or just confidence in his heritage.

Confidence, she concluded, as she saw a look of understanding cross his face.

A feeling of pride and satisfaction filled her heart as she witnessed the birth of a new form. She relaxed and breathed out as the boy took hold of the ring that now belonged to him. But she tensed up again when that man cackled, mocking his own subordinates defeat.

Through the projection of the dark, murky water, she could see the shadow of a large creature, no doubt the creature the judges spoke of before. Despite his injuries, Yamamoto heaved Squalo up in attempt to get him out of the arena. She could hear the muffled voice of the man. He was telling the boy to let go of him, to not taint his honor as a swordsman. Another frown made its way onto her face.

Why did they always put their pride before their lives? Did they not view their lives precious enough to save? It wasn't like there was honor in killing others anyway.

 _ **She would come to understand the meaning of pride later on. She would realize that like the others, she too would rather give her life than to lose her pride.**_

Squalo pushed himself off of the boy, and the shark pounced, seemingly devouring the man whole. Asuka looked away, not wanting to see anymore than she already has. She bit her lip when that man continued to laugh at Squalo, insulting his subordinate, now former, and calling him trash. The way that man treated every person he came across as dirt on his shoe left a disgusting taste in her mouth.

"Tomorrow night's battle will be the battle between the Guardians of the Mist."

* * *

 _His other hand fidgeted with an intricate white box. Pity, he had wanted to give her an early birthday present this year. He stuffed it into his pocket and stood to leave the suffocating room._

* * *

 _A fresh current of air spreading the pollen of spring_

 _A cooling draft in midst of a humid summer_

 _A brisk breeze along with the fall of autumn leaves_

 _A frigid chill accompanied by the winter snow_

 _It remains in the skies, the unbound wind, flowing along with the seasons of time_

* * *

 **man, i love the osts from hero academia; theyre so damn good. 8/8**


	9. Misterioso

"So," Asuka leaned her cheek on her palm. "You're next."

She was currently in a cafe with the Kokuyo gang. Ken was stuffing his face with sweets and Chikusa scolded him in distaste. Chrome stared shyly at her slice of cake.

"...Will Mukuro help you?"

"...I don't know…"

"Do you think that you can beat them?"

She received no response. A sigh left her mouth as the girl continued to squirm uncomfortably. Was she afraid of her? Or did she just not like these kind of things?

"Am I scary?"

Chrome flinched, surprised by the sudden question. "N-no! I...I'm just not… used to this."

"...I see." She stood, pulling out a few bills and placing it on the table. "I'll be going now. Make sure you get there on time tonight."

Then again, she wasn't used to being friendly with former enemies, either. Even if she was just another person who was dragged into this mess.

* * *

"Dino-san." Asuka eyed the mess he made. "You're making a mess again."

The blond blushed deeply, spluttering and spitting out his food, creating even more of a mess. Next to him, Romario coughed into his hand to hide a laugh. She took out a box of tissue and handed it to him, though he ended up dropping it and knocking over his cup of tea.

"..." She could only watch in bewilderment as he continued to create a mess despite a subordinate being with them. Perhaps he was just innately clumsy like Tsuna. Unable to watch any further, she took his hand, which made him heat up even further, and led him away from the mess. "Stand here and don't move please." She then proceeded to clean up the food and spilled tea for him.

"As expected of Onee-sama!" Gokudera and Yamamoto were also with them. Romario had insisted they meet at the hospital to check and re-bandage their wounds, though Ryohei had refused because he 'extremely needed to go on a run'. "Bronco! Be grateful that Onee-sama graciously helped you clean up!"

Somehow, her mother had caught wind of them getting injured, so she made a full-course meal for her to bring to them. When she had arrived, Gokudera was yelling at Yamamoto while Romario was fixing their bandages. Dino had opened the door for her, but he accidentally stepped on a wire which led to him slipping forward and crashing into her. Luckily, the food was left unscathed. Unluckily for them, they now had a matching bandage on their nose.

"Are you gonna eat that?"

"Wha- Hey!" He blocked Yamamoto's incoming chopsticks with his own. "That's mine! Eat your own food!"

"But I already finished it?"

"Well then that's your problem!"

Asuka took out another container from her bag and gave it to the bickering pair. "Don't worry, there's more than enough to go around."

"Oh! Onee-sama is too generous!"

"Thanks!"

From the corner of her vision, she could see Dino inch out of the door. Romario was still attending to the two, so he didn't follow. But the way he was acting so sneaky made it too suspicious for her to ignore. Excusing herself to go use the bathroom, she quietly walked out to follow Dino. When he walked into an elevator, she decided to abandon her stalking. It'd be too troublesome to try and figure out which floor he was going to. So she waltzed right in with him, causing him to squeal in shock.

"A-Asuka?! What are you doing here?!"

"You were acting suspicious, so I decided to follow you."

"Um.." He looked around nervously. "I-I was just going to the restroom!"

"...The men's bathroom is right next to our room."

"I-is it? H-haha! I didn't realize! I… I was going to get a soda from the vending machine!"

"They don't sell sodas here anymore. Kyoya banned it."

"O-oh…" Sweat started to slide down his face." "U-uh… I was… Just going to get a quick breather!"

"Dino-san." She stared at him pointedly. "We're going to the fourth floor. Or did you accidentally press that instead of the ground floor?"

At this point, Dino was sweating bullets and close to tears. She had unintentionally put him on the spot and he was now debating the consequences of telling her the truth. In the end, he broke down under her scrutinizing stare.

"I'm sorry for lying! It was a secret so I couldn't tell you but we're keeping Squalo in this hospital after we saved him the other day and I was just going to check up on him-"

She stared at him, dumbfounded as she processed his words. "Wait, what? Squalo? He's alive?"

Dino flinched and nodded. "We had divers down there to take care of the shark in case Yamamoto was in trouble, but in the end, we ended up with Squalo instead. He's been here ever since."

"...Oh." The elevator doors slid opened, and they exited, awkwardly standing there for a few seconds. "...So, where's his room?"

"Y-you're going with me?"

She shrugged. "I might as well, since I'm already here."

Dino led her to the third room down, knocking before entering. In the white room, machines and wires surrounded the bed where Squalo laid. He was nearly fully wrapped in bandages, and glared at her when he saw her.

"Why the hell is she here?"

"Nice to see you, too, Squalo." Dino went to check his vitals while she stood awkwardly by the side. "Everything seems fine. You'll be good to go in a week or two."

"Tch. I never asked for your help."

He smiled slightly. "It's been only a day and you're already back to being Squalo."

The silver haired man growled. "Voi. The hell are you saying?"

"Nothing, nothing. Asuka, why don't you take a seat? I'll go get a nurse to give him an overall checkup, so I'll be right back." She slowly walked towards the chair next to the bed, shifting uncomfortably as Dino left them to themselves.

"...You're that brat's sister." She nodded tentatively. "You're Wind, right? You'll be fighting Raphael." Again, she nodded. "...What are you, mute?"

"...Why do you follow that man?" She couldn't help but ask that question.

He said nothing for a few moments, as if wondering that himself, too. "...I was drawn in by his fire. He had anger far greater than any other that I've ever met. I wanted to see how far he could go." She could sense a but. He never addressed it.

"Do you ever regret it?"

"Hell no. He's fucking annoying as hell, but I swore that I'd go through with it."

"But he… He's so… Crazed."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "This is the mafia, kid. You gotta realize one way or another. We all have issues. Doesn't matter if it's mental, or some kind of trauma. Actually- why the hell am I talking about this?"

"...Well then, moving on." She supposed his answer was sufficient for now. "What kind of boss is he?"

"The shittiest of shit. Needs a fucking anger management class, that's for sure. He can go die in a hole for all I care. Fucking bitch does nothing but lounge around in that chair of his and throw expensive wine everywhere. If he were anyone else, he'd be fucking sashimi by now-" His heart rate was spiking just from talking about Xanxus. A bit worrying, she thought. "-Complains about his fucking steak being too saucy and then the fucking sauce for being too salty. Acts like he owns the fucking world-" Maybe he was the reason why his hair was already white.

Dino and the nurse came back to see a Squalo letting off some steam and an Asuka who was occasionally checking the heart rate monitor.

* * *

"Asuka! Asuka!"

A small ball of yellow fluff landed on her head lightly pecking her and chirping out her name. She grumbled quietly, and buried her head deeper into her arms. The tiny bird pecked her a few more times, but she was too tired to respond.

A few moments later, the door opened, revealing a disgruntled Hibari. It was past school hours and he was making his last rounds around the school. His eyes wandered at the figure hunched over a desk with his bird on their head. He glanced at the clock. 6:04. A part of him itched to take out his tonfa and hit her for staying so late. Asuka or not, it was against the school regulations.

Images of the bruises and bandages he had seen on her came to mind, and he told himself that he could make an exception for once. He walked up to her desk and plopped down on a nearby seat. Her breathing was slow and calm; no doubt, she wouldn't wake up for a while. He took a long sweep across the room as he leaned back into the chair.

The student council room was not messy, but not necessarily tidy either. Boxes of papers were placed in a corner next to filing cabinets and drawers. There was an occasional pen or scrap paper on the floor. A few chairs were misplaced around the room. The officers' desks were somewhat clean, but Asuka laid on top of strewn papers and open books. A pen was left uncapped and sticky notes were littered on the desk. 'An organized mess', she once told him. 'A pigsty', he replied.

Thirty minutes later, the sun had set halfway. Orange and red illuminated the sky, sending beams of light through the open windows. The room glowed softly with light. Hibari scoffed at the scene. It was exactly like one of those romance novels she talked about whenever she was bored. It was disgustingly sweet and cheesy.

A few minutes passed and the curtains blew back with a breeze. Hibari stood abruptly, brandishing his weapons at the figure on the windowsill. But the figure just smiled and bowed, not making any move.

"Hello, Kyoya."

He glared. "You."

"Me."

"Why are you here?"

The baby looked towards the sleeping girl with an amused smile. "I was looking for Asuka. She didn't show up like usual so I wondered if something happened. But it seems that she is just fatigued." He looked back at Hibari. "In any case, I will be taking my leave. Good luck on your battle."

Before he could swing at him, the baby jumped out of the window, disappearing with the wind. With an annoyed huff, he slammed (quietly closed -she was still asleep) the window shut and walked back to his seat.

It was almost 7 now. The sun had set and the sky was a deep indigo. Asuka still slept deeply, her soft breathing filling the silent room. Hibird had buried itself in her hair near the crook of her neck, snuggling to her warmth. Hibari was debating whether to wake her up or to take a nap himself. Before he could decide, the door slid open. He looked up, but there was no one. He looked down, and saw Reborn standing at the doorway.

"Ciaossu."

"Baby." He walked towards the two and hopped onto a desk, looking over at Asuka before back at Hibari.

"Are you coming tonight?"

He yawned. "Not interested."

"Are you sure? It'll be an interesting one." Hibari didn't reply, instead closing his eyes and leaning back. "...Then wake her up at 8. There'll be someone meeting her outside." He jumped off and left the two to themselves.

It was 7:18. Asuka began to stir from her sleep, and slowly lifted her head from her arms. A sleepy yawn left her mouth as she stretched her arms and back, letting out of a breath of satisfaction when she heard the popping of her stiff joints. Her hands came up to rub her eyes before looking around the room and spotting the prefect.

"...Oh, good morning, Kyoya."

"It's evening."

"Is it now?... I was just going to take a quick nap, but I guess not." She stood up from her desk, giving Hibird a gentle pet and putting on her coat. Her eyes glanced at the pile of work on her desk, sighing and closing the books in resignation. She glanced at the clock, a look of contemplation crossing her face.

"Do you think we can get some food before the next match?"

"Hn."

"Let's just go get some takeout then."

* * *

"Here you go." Asuka dropped a plastic bag into Chrome's hand.

"T-this is?"

"Takeout. I doubt they bought you dinner, and you probably didn't eat that cake in the morning, so here."

She had found the three loitering in front of the school after she parted ways with Kyoya. Reborn had told her the day before to meet with them beforehand. Why, she had no idea, though it was probably so that she made sure they didn't try anything, or to keep the others from getting too riled up when they found out. Ken was already sniffing through the bag, trying to find something he liked.

"Are you ready?"

"I-I think so…"

"...That's fine then."

She looked towards the gym. Tsuna and the others weren't there yet, only the Varia. She could go early, but Reborn had also told her to be 'fashionably late, but on time, to add a dramatic flare'. Honestly, she swore that people in the mafia always had a thing for theatrics and such. Then again, she hadn't eaten yet, since she had to go rush to get the food and come back. So she took a box and a pair of chopsticks from the bag and sat down on a bench to eat. Ken was already wolfing down his share while Chikusa was calmly eating. Chrome just stood there with her bag, but she sat as well when Asuka kept staring at her.

A while later, they were all finished with their food (Chrome had only eaten half, much to her annoyance -the girl was stick thin, she needed to eat more). She had seen an unconscious Tsuna be carried into the gym by Gokudera and the others a few minutes ago. Her phone then vibrated. Flipping it open, she read the message Reborn had sent her.

After tossing the leftover trash, she motioned for the other three to follow her to the gym. According to Reborn, it would be a 'grand' entrance. Ken and Chikusa would enter first, and then Tsuna and the others would overreact and freak out. Then, Chrome would make her entrance, introducing herself in Italian. And again, according to Reborn, Tsuna would be 'extremely cautious and no-good in this situation' and his guardians would also be mistrustful. But also knowing Tsuna, he'd somehow defend her despite himself. So in order to thank him, Chrome would give him a kiss on the cheek, much to Asuka's chagrin. She'd rather not have anyone kiss her brother, but Reborn had been adamant in his plan. And of course, the kiss would cause Gokudera to blow up, so that was when she would enter to calm everything down.

'A mafia style entrance,' he had called it. 'An unorthodox, heart attack inducing drama,' she replied.

Nonetheless, the plan was to be followed, and she sent the two off into the gym. As expected, cries of indignation were heard, and when she heard Tsuna shout 'Rokudo Mukuro!', she sent Chrome in. Again, more shouts and yells emitted from the gym. Soon after, she heard heard Tsuna's high pitched scream and more shouting. Deciding it was time to go in, Asuka stepped into the gym.

"Kyoya's going to bite you to death for being so loud at night."

"N-Nee-chan!"

She placed her hands on Chrome's shoulder, making the girl flinch. "You can trust her. She's...Not Mukuro."

Tsuna still looked hesitant, and Gokudera was still glaring at the two others.

"Boss, is it that I'm not worthy of the position as Guardian of the Mist?" Asuka couldn't help but feel slightly offended that she was speaking confidently with Tsuna. "I wish to battle as the Guardian of the Mist, but if Boss doesn't allow it no matter what, then I'll abide by his decision..." Actually, she was very, very, offended.

"E-Eh!? You're asking me to decide just like that?! Such...Such an important thing!"

Reborn hopped onto Yamamoto's shoulder. "But, besides Chrome, there are no others who can battle as the Guardian of the Mist."

Tsuna's conflicted look soon subsided. "Then...We'll leave it to you."

"Is that really okay, Tenth?!"

"I don't really know how to put it, but, it seems like it wouldn't work...If it wasn't for her."

Chrome relaxed and let out a relieved sigh. "Well," the girl looked back at Asuka. "Good luck. And don't get too injured. Mukuro will probably haunt me if you do." She nodded, and went forward.

Asuka watched as she stood tall and confident. It was a positive contrast to the girl she was trusted with. But she wondered just how long she could keep that demeanor up. Mukuro had told her about her affinity with the Mist, but her weak constitution and health kept her from fully unlocking and utilizing her potential.

"This time, the battlefield will be the entirety of the gymnasium. The objects in the building can be used in any way you desire. Furthermore, the field has not been outfitted with any special installations. There is no need for perplexity."

"Eh? Nothing?" The rest of them looked confused.

"The specialty of the Mist means they do not need anything extra. Creating something from nothing, and nothing from something; thus bewildering the enemy. Rendering the true form of the family intangible with visions of deceit. That is the role of the Guardian of the Mist."

And it also makes them a pain to deal with, she thought. She never did like magicians or wizards in stories and games. But if they were an ally. Well, that was a different story.

"Then the battle of the Mist: Mammon vs. Chrome Dokuro. Begin!"

Chrome immediately began, striking her trident onto the floor, which in turn seemingly shattered into pieces. Gravity seemed to stop working, and her body was lifted above the illusion. She watched as the baby, Mammon, seemed to sprout tentacles from their face. She cringed at the disgusting display, and grimaced even further as they wrapped around Chrome's body. Could they be any more...distasteful?

The floor suddenly returned to its original state, and Chrome looked as if she was being strangled. But 'Chrome' then turned into a crate of basketballs, another Chrome appearing behind Mammon.

"W-Wha?!" Gokudera rubbed his eyes, unable to comprehend the illusions.

"How... How did that happen?!"

"It's an illusion."

"Illusion!?"

Reborn nodded. "Both creating illusions without yielding a step, deceiving each other without stopping for a breath. This kind of impressive battle is something you won't get to see very often."

"...When you say illusions...It's true that before…!" Tsuna's face morphed into one of shock. "Mukuro's state of hell!"

"Tenth! She's Mukuro after all!"

Ever since the beginning of the battle, Asuka had begun to see the similarities between Chrome and Mukuro, but they were far too different still. Chrome had confidence, though it was small. But Mukuro exerted arrogance. He was the epitome of hubris. She was far too shy to even have one tenth of the amount of confidence Mukuro had. Though, it could be changed in the future.

Her eyes lit up in curiosity as a chain dropped from beneath Mammon's cloak. The frog on their head seemed to split, and a bright salamander like creature emerged from the shell. A luminous glow radiated from Reborn and the other baby (Colonello, was it?), matching Mammon's.

"As I thought, his true identity is the Arcobaleno, Viper."

* * *

 _Arcobaleno. She had been curious. Ever since back when Mukuro mentioned that name. What was it? Fon had also mentioned it once, but he was vague and only said he and Reborn were two of the Arcobaleno. She had looked it up once, and it meant rainbow, but it held no clue to what she was trying to figure it. And what Mammon mentioned just then. A curse? What curse? Did it have something to do with those glowing pacifiers? And how they seemed to act like mature adults? How the others never questioned it, she didn't know. Babies with dangerous weapons and contacts. Babies who had strange animals. Babies who spoke fluently and walked with more grace than her brother. It didn't make sense. She wanted to know._

* * *

Now was not the time to ponder the wonders of the universe.

Once again, Chrome created an illusion, this time, with fiery pillars that burst through the floor. One appeared near her, and she flinched as she felt the heat radiating off of it, but she started shivering when they suddenly froze up into ice. Her breath condensed into cold puffs as she buttoned up her coat. If she had known they'd use ice, she would have changed out of her school uniform.

She froze as she saw ice encasing Chrome's legs. She was thrown back by Mammon, who then proceeded to shatter her trident. She silently cursed, remembering what Mukuro had told her in regards to Chrome's illusions. He was the one helping her stabilize them, as well as the organs he created for her. The trident acted as an anchor to keep the illusions up, and now that it was destroyed, surely, the illusions would fall. Her hand immediately reached for her phone the moment Chrome coughed up blood. She quickly dialed up Kusakabe and told him to have a ride for the hospital ready in five minutes. It wouldn't do if she let her die.

Her grip on her phone tightened as she saw her abdomen. It looked empty. It was empty. She felt sick, but took a deep breath to keep her dinner down. A sudden feeling of vertigo rushed over her, causing her to lean on her cane, and her body suddenly _hurt._ For some reason, it felt as if her insides were burning, and the others only took notice when she started to cough as well. There was no blood like there was for Chrome, but it _stung._

"Nee-chan!?" She could feel Tsuna's shaking hands on her arms, when suddenly, mist started to appear around Chrome's body. A familiar feeling tugged at her mind. If it didn't hurt so much, she would have scoffed. To appear when his vessel was on the brink of death. It was almost endearing.

Beside her, Tsuna was holding his head. "...I-it's him...He's coming...Rokudo Mukuro is coming!" As he said those words, an annoyingly familiar laugh echoed through the building.

"Kufufu…" From within the mist, she could see his silhouette. "You're showing off quite a bit, aren't you?" The mist dispersed, and Mukuro was there, crouching on the floor with trident in hand.

"M-Mukuro...He's alive…"

He stood. "It's been a while. I've come back… From the other cycle." He then looked back at them, meeting eyes with her and giving her a small smirk.

When he turned back around, her body stopped hurting and stinging. Her head still throbbed with mild pain, but otherwise, she felt better.

"N-nee-chan? Are you… okay?" She turned to look at Tsuna, who was staring at her with worry.

"Y-yea, just… A bit tired for some reason."

Reborn frowned. "What happened?"

"My body started to hurt, like it was burning." She coughed. "But it stopped just now."

"I see." He tipped his fedora and looked back at Mukuro. "It was probably because Mammon broke the trident. That weapon was the base for his illusions, so when it was destroyed, all his illusions most likely went haywire. And since it was his illusions that healed your injuries from before, they presumably fell as well, causing your wounds to reappear. He probably recasted them just then, so that explains why you feel better."

"W-wait-" Tsuna cut in. "So it was Mukuro? He...healed Nee-chan?" He received a bonk on the head.

"Of course it was. Did you really think it was an actual miracle?"

Asuka straightened herself back up, wincing at the mild headache she was having. She had missed the conversation between Mukuro and Mammon, but she doubted it was anything too important.

"What a troublesome guy. All right, let's clear things up. You're merely an illusion created by the girl, right?" A sudden blizzard appeared, and she winced at the frigid cold against her bare legs. Shielding her face, she could just barely make out the tiny figure of Mammon flying towards a frozen Mukuro, when a pillar of flames abruptly erupted, directed encasing the baby. As the pillar subsided, she saw Mammon tangled in lotus flowers and vines while the ice around Mukuro disappeared.

"Even that Viper is completely overwhelmed…"

Reborn smirked. "That is Tsuna's Mist, Rokudo Mukuro."

"Then he's the real thing after all...But if that's the case, what happened to the girl!?"

"You cannot consider Chrome and Mukuro as separate beings. Because there is Chrome, Mukuro can exist. Because there is Mukuro, Chrome can exist."

But they weren't the same either. They were different. She watched as Mukuro tore the illusions apart with his trident, unbothered by them at all. Another feeling of vertigo rushed over her as the whole building was torn apart by a strange illusion. Her head throbbed at the mental assault on her mind. It didn't make it any better than Mukuro started to destroy the place with pillars of flames and lava.

"My head!"

Her attention drifted to Tsuna, who was kneeling and clutching his head in pain. She rushed over to him, despite her own headache. His eyes shot open and stared at the ground, as if in a trance.

"Tsuna? What's wrong?"

"M...Mukuro…"

Just then, as Mukuro continued deflecting an army of Mammon's with his trident, he was enveloped by a black cloak, the strange salamander creature expanding and wrapping around him. Spikes formed on the inside of the creature, and it enclosed around the cloak, seemingly impaling Mukuro from the outside. But the cloak burst, revealing multiple lotus plants and Mukuro, who was smirking.

"Descend into hell. Then, return again." In his hand, he held the two rings. He turned to the two judges. "I just have to rejoin these two rings, correct?"

"Not so fast!" Mammon's voice rang out, and black mist accumulated, forming his body. "I have yet to show you the full extent of my power!"

"You know this very well, don't you?" Mukuro turned to look at him. "What it means, when your illusionary powers are countered by another's." The salamander suddenly wrapped around his neck. "It means that you've completely lost control of your own perceptions." It started to strangle him. "How does it feel, Arcobaleno?" The room seemed to shatter once more and a crazed smile appeared on his face. "This is my world!"

Mammon's small body started to bloat. Asuka looked away in disgust, refusing to watch anymore. She could hear their pleads and shouts, and finally, a small explosion. The gym returned to normal, and she turned back to see Mukuro present the ring in its entirety.

"...The Ring of the Mist now belongs to Chrome Dokuro. With that, the winner of this battle is Chrome Dokuro."

She didn't bother to listen in on what he was saying to Xanxus. She just felt completely done with his shenanigans. As he walked towards them, she sent him a disapproving look, in which he returned with a smirk.

"You bastard! How dare you show your face here?!" Gokudera had already pulled out his dynamite while Tsuna looked sincerely scared.

"It's good to be vigilant. But I have no intentions of colluding with the mafia. The only reason I have of becoming your guardian is to set myself in a better position to possess Sawada Tsunayoshi." He promptly ignored the glare she sent him.

"A-ah… In any case, thank you…" Mukuro then looked at her expectantly.

"I'm bringing her to the hospital right after. You don't have to worry."

He nodded in response. "Well… A little… Tired now…" He suddenly fell over, but she caught him before he reached the ground. Well, she caught her. When she looked closer, he had turned into Chrome again. From the corner of her vision, she saw Ken and Chikusa leaving the gym. How troublesome. She checked her pulse and abdomen. The girl seemed to be fine, only a bit tired, though she'd need a professional to make sure.

"You too, Asuka." She turned around to see Reborn stare at her. "Don't sympathise with him. Even if he helped you." She looked away to lift Chrome up. But she paused for a moment to respond.

"...Not him. Just her."

"Tomorrow night's battle will be the battle between the Guardians of the Wind."

* * *

 _But then, one day, one day..._

* * *

 **crack pairing asuka & squalo  
i have plans to make asuka domesticate the varia and make them a perfect little dysfunctional family. 8/8**


	10. Sforzando

_His jaw tightened, a rare look of conflict marred his face._

* * *

Raphael ran his claw against the wooden table. The room was empty.

Levi was with Boss. Lussuria was at the mall. Squalo was probably in hell. Bel went off somewhere. Mammon was locked up in his room. The Gola Mosca was having some final maintenance. He hasn't heard anything shatter or any yelling yet, so Boss was probably asleep.

How boring.

With a sigh, he slumped back into the couch. He wanted to do something. Something fun. Something that would get his blood pumping and adrenaline rushing.

He could use someone to play with. A friend of his own, perhaps. A yawn escaped his mouth as he spread his legs over the cushions. He'd just have to wait until later tonight to have some fun.

Raphael was everybody's friend. But no one was Raphael's.

* * *

 _His hand twitched towards his pant pocket, but a smaller one grabbed it and held it tight._

* * *

The wind roughly blew her hair back once more.

Asuka groaned in frustration as she dug through her pockets to find a hair tie. It was calm in the morning, but near afternoon, the wind started picking up like crazy. And much to her extreme irritation, it had ended up blowing away the many papers that she had meticulously stacked in neat piles.

She pulled her hair up in a ponytail and walked towards a sleeping figure. How he managed to stay up here with all the wind appalled her. Heck, his hair seemed unbothered, his uniform was still prim and proper, and he didn't even seem cold. Her lips twitched at his peaceful expression. His face showed no sign of bloodlust or craze, and because of that, it looked as if a tiny bit of childhood innocence lingered on his features (though she was told before that she was hallucinating).

Her gaze moved up to the blue sky. Wispy white cloud dotted the expanse of horizon, moving along rather quickly due to the high winds. She subconsciously laid on her back, still staring at the endless blue. Her thoughts wandered back to what Fon had told her about the 'elements' and their meanings and duties.

' _Clouds are independent. They prefer to keep to themselves, only aiding the family when their goals align. Kyoya is an excellent example of that. He lets no one hold him down. He refuses to 'crowd' with others unless absolutely necessary. But his loyalties, if he has any at all, are steadfast.'_

She supposed it was an accurate description of the boy next to her. He absolutely hated it when there were more than one person in a five meter radius around him, and would bite them to death if they attempted to do anything he considered wrong. But his dedication for Namimori and the committee was startlingly resolute. Almost unhealthily so.

' _Storms are erratic and volatile. Their duty is to attack relentlessly and to protect the family. They are somewhat similar to clouds, but are nowhere as aloof. Once they've found a respectable one to follow, their loyalty will be borderline unbreakable. I believe that young man, Gokudera, is one, yes? Even without the flames, he would be easily recognized as a storm.'_

The Italian did display fierce loyalty towards Tsuna, so she didn't doubt that he was a storm. He was also impulsive and short-tempered, but balanced it out with his intelligence.

' _Rains are known to be the polar opposite of storms. They're known for their more peaceful and carefree approaches to situations. As their name and characteristics suggest, their duty is to 'wash away worries' and appease the family. Yamamoto Takeshi displays these characteristics openly. He suits 'tranquility' quite well.'_

As much as Yamamoto was suited to be a rain, there was also Squalo, who was anything but peaceful. If he had any redeeming qualities that made him a rain, then she had yet to really notice them.

' _Suns are energetic and lively, as well as resilient and powerful. Their duty is to protect the family and in a sense, open up a path to victory. Sasagawa Ryohei is a prime example, given his tendency to be loud and his ceaseless energy. Reborn is a sun as well, though he does not readily show it.'_

She had always thought the boxer to be rather… Sunny and explosive. It was almost creepy to see how the concepts of flames and personalities fit together so well. Though, again, there were still many who didn't seem to fit their flame types.

' _Lightnings are rather bold. Their duty is to use their body as a shield for the family, like a lightning rod. Reborn informed me of how that child, Lambo, has a unique physiology that allows him to absorb lightning. As much as it is peculiar, it fits rather well.'_

But he was a child. She did not care about how he would make the perfect guardian or whatever. She would not allow a child to partake in fighting, especially after what that disgusting man did to Lambo the night of their match.

' _Mists are deceptive and elusive. I'm sure you're familiar with them. Rokudo Mukuro, was it? Despite his questionable behavior and rather violent history, there is no questioning his skills and affinity for the mist. And as much as it would be dangerous for him to be apart of the family, it would be a great asset as well. And the other one, Chrome. She has a feeble body, but I can sense a great deal of mist flames within her. She's simply a box of potential that can't be opened because of physical limitations.'_

Ever since the Kokuyo incident, she had decided to forever denote mists as the most annoying to deal with. She was sure that all the others would agree, especially the one sleeping next to her. And while she was indebted to Mukuro, she was already repaying her favor by taking care of Chrome and his subordinates. It was only right to have equivalent exchange.

' _Winds are supportive. But they can also be quite the force when it comes to protecting their family. Their duty is to keep the enemy away before they can even reach the family. To ease the burden of the sky. You are a wind. You're still learning, but you are proving to be capable and worthy. From behind, you support and guide the family and make sure they don't stray or break. You may do it subconsciously, like when you advised Yamamoto Takeshi to not wear himself out the other day. Or with intent, like when you agreed to take care of Chrome Dokuro because Rokudo Mukuro was occupied in prison. Even with Kyoya, you've formed a bond with him, an independent cloud, that cannot be easily broken.'_

She honestly did not think of herself as a good sister, no matter how many times others praised her, or Tsuna reassured her. A good sister would not let her brother or friends get hurt. She would not helplessly stand aside, unable to do anything. She was far from being the ideal sibling.

' _Do not belittle yourself. You've done far more for your family than you could've ever imagined.'_

' _The sky is vast. It holds all the elements together and creates harmony. Your brother, Tsunayoshi, may be timid and clumsy, but his potential is as endless as the sky itself. He has attracted all the elements to him, and all are suitable to become his guardians. I expect no less from a direct descendant of Vongola Primo.'_

She could only describe her feelings as pride. Nothing more, nothing less. Just pride.

She was suddenly pulled away from her thoughts when a warm fabric fell over her top and covered her face. Her eyes opened, seeing black before pulling away the cloth. Her fingers brushed over familiar leather and she turned to look at Kyoya, who was sitting up and looking at her.

"Good morning?"

He let out a soft grunt in response and slowly stood up. She looked down at the black jacket in her hands, and then at the goosebumps that had formed from the cold weather. Her arms shot through the sleeves of the jacket, relishing the warmth and soft underside of the leather. She awkwardly shifted the sleeves and the collar, trying to keep it from chaffing her chin since she was wearing the jacket backwards. Ignoring the annoyed glare her companion shot her, she attempted to stand, but failed when she felt pins and needles in her legs. A sigh left her mouth as she tried stomping her legs to get blood flowing again, but just looked up at Kyoya in pleading when the feeling didn't go away. One hand reached out to him, silently requesting for him to pull her up.

A few moments of silence passed before he relented. His hand reached out to grab hers, hauling her up without much effort. She then jumped up and down a few times, relieved to finally feel her limbs again.

"Alright, let's go get some lunch, shall we?"

* * *

 _The hand didn't tremble. It was strangely still. But their sweaty palms said otherwise._

* * *

Asuka held her ring up to the sun.

She leaned back onto the tree, staring at the sky through the ring. Next to her, Kyoya sat, calmly eating his Chinese takeout. Another sun invaded the sky, a fluffy, winged creature named Hibird. It fluttered down onto her finger, lightly pecking on her ring. She pulled her hand closer to her face.

"Hey there, cutie."

"Asuka! Asuka!" She smiled, picking up a small peanut from her takeout and holding it up to the small bird. It flew off her hand and up into the tree. She fiddled with her ring a bit more before placing it back on her finger.

"Say, Kyoya, do you think I'll lose tonight?" The teen next to her closed his box and placed it next to him. He slumped down, lying back on the soft grass.

"If you keep that herbivorous mindset, then yes." He yawned and closed his eyes.

Asuka rested her chin on her palm. 'Think like a predator or get eaten,' she supposed. "Then, how about, do you think I'll win tonight?"

Her only reply was a short grunt of something akin to approval. She held back an indignant snort, muttering about bloodthirsty fiends.

* * *

 _Despite that, those eyes that stared back at him held conviction and determination. He begrudgingly allowed himself to forget their circumstances for a few moments._

* * *

A gigantic jungle gym was not what she had expected when she arrived at the backfield.

The structure was as longer than the field itself, and extended up into the sky. It was made of metal bars lined in cubes that seemed to measure around a meter in length and width. A frown marred her face. Her cane wouldn't do much in this situation. And her martial arts wouldn't be as effective as well. The bars would just deter her from moving quickly and getting in close to her opponent. And the fact that the color of the bars blended with the color of the night sky made it seem even trickier.

"Nee-chan!" She turned around, spotting her brother jogging up to her with his friends. Before he could say anything else, Yamamoto interrupted.

"What's that?"

He pointed over to the towering structure behind her, obviously intrigued. The rest followed his gaze and Tsuna gave a small shriek.

"I-Is that the field-" He was cut off by a kick to the face. Reborn stood on his shoulder, feet to his cheek while staring at Asuka.

"If you're ready, then let's go. The Varia's waiting." She nodded, eyes scanning across the span of the large structure. The others followed her into a small clearing, where the rest of the Varia stood. Raphael, she noted, was not with them, but she could feel someone staring at her, even at two judges then appeared from nowhere, jumping in front of her.

"Sawada Asuka, we will need to check the authenticity of your Half-Vongola Ring before the battle." One of them held out a hand expectantly. Her hand went into her pocket, pulling out the strangely shaped ring. The woman took it and after a quick inspection, nodded in approval. "It is genuine." Her partner then spoke up.

"The battle of the Wind will take place on this field. As you can see, we have installed a jungle gym reinforced by our illusionists, meaning that the length and width will be endless once you step onto it." She moved towards the structure and tapped on the metal. "Please note that this metal is of chromium and coated with tungsten."

The other one continued. "The objective of this battle will be like the others. The goal is to obtain the other half of the Vongola Ring. There will be no time limit for this battle. Please remember that you cannot step off the field."

"The match will begin in three minutes. Please step onto the gym."

She frowned. "And where's my opponent?"

Before the Cervello could answer, she saw something move from above. When she looked up, she caught the gaze of the boy from the Varia. Raphael has leaning forward on the bars, chin propped on his hand. A playful, yet mocking, smile marred his face.

"Yoohoo, _bella~_ I've been waiting up here for a while now, so hurry up, yeah?"

Asuka frowned at him, then looked uncertainly at the metal bars, noting their shiny, no doubt slippery, texture. There was no advantage for her in this type of field. She was about to move towards the structure when Ryohei screamed out.

"Asuka! Come here! We extremely need to do our extreme group huddle!"

She blinked. "Oh… Right." She awkwardly huddled between Tsuna and Ryohei, sagging a little when the boxer clasped his hand on her shoulder. Even when injured, he was stupidly strong. She winced as he screamed into her ear, pulling away and rubbing her ringing head. A hand grabbed hers before she could go, and she turned to see her brother looking at her with something akin to anxiety.

"Nee-chan, you don't have to do this-" Her other hand ruffled his hair, a small smile making its way to her lips.

"And let you all do the dirty work? Not a chance." She looked at Reborn. "That's what the 'wind' does right? Support the sky?"

The baby smirked in return. "At least one of you are smart enough to understand."

Tsuna still looked apprehensive. "But what if-"

"No what ifs. You let everyone else do this, so what difference does it make if I did too?" She pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. "I'll be fine."

She quickly jogged up to the closest bar, gripping it tight and heaving her body up. The metal was smooth to the touch, and unfortunately for her, her shoes were not the best for grip. She took a second to debate abandoning her footwear and socks, but pushed the thoughts away when she saw Raphael approaching.

"That was quite a heartwarming scene, _bella._ " A strange, vicious smile twisted onto his lips. "So sweet and sugary it makes me want to gag. But enough with the pleasantries, the match is about to begin."

Just then, the judges made their way to the middle of the field, announcing the start of the battle as the Varia and her family entered barred cages.

"Let the battle between the Guardians of the Wind begin!"

Instead of moving, Raphael stood there smiling at her, seemingly contemplating about something.

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to do something?"

He shrugged. "I was going to offer you something. Since I've been up here for a while, I'm already comfortable with moving around. But _bella_ just came up here, so I was thinking about letting you run around for a few minutes to get used to it before we fight. How about it?"

She frowned, obviously displeased by his offer. One thing that Kyoya had instilled in her was to never take handicaps. They were direct blows to one's pride, no matter how disastrous or desperate the situation was.

"I don't need it nor do I appreciate you taking me so lightly."

Raphael shrugged again, a lopsided grin playing on his lips as he scratched his hair. "I thought you'd say that. Well, it's your loss anyway." His grin turned vicious again. "Let's play, then, yeah?~"

In a flash, he was rushing towards her, head ducked low and claw out for blood. Her initial reaction was to jump, and so she did, barely evading his blade when he swung up towards her leg. He followed her swiftly, using the momentum of his body to grab ahold of a bar and swing up after her.

She flinched when she nearly knocked her head into another bar, and almost let out a cry when she found blades in front of her face. One of her hands immediately shot up, narrowly blocking the claw with her cane. Raphael was slightly below her, smirking as he applied more pressure on the cane, slowly pushing her back.

Asuka's eyes shot around in mad frenzy, trying to find an opening to escape. A high-pitched screech caused her to cringe and tempted her to cover her ears from the disgusting noise. Raphael laughed a bit, scraping his claw against her metal cane to create a disarming sound. She grinded her teeth harshly, unable to block out the noise. Her foot came up near his face and kicked him in the chest, knocking him back just a bit to allow her to jump back a few feet.

Her hand rubbed her ringing ears in discomfort. In front of her, Raphael rubbed his chest, murmuring something incoherent. She allowed her heart to calm down a bit before standing up straight once more. This time, she went on the offensive. She raced towards him, carefully grabbing and stepping on the bars with utmost caution. He was already back up when she reached him, claw up with a confident smirk on his face. Both of them struck, weapons held up in front of them in a lock.

"Aggressive, aren't we, _bella?_ "

She grunted in response. She loosened her grip, allowing him to fall forward a bit and aiming a kick at his abdomen. A curse left her mouth when her leg was caught by his other hand, but she twisted her body and struck him with the bottom of her cane.

A squeal left her lips when she was suddenly pulled forward by her leg. His hand gripped her leg, and his claw was aimed for her neck. One of the blades nicked her cheek when she tilted her head back to avoid the claw. Her own hand shot up to grab his arm, though she could barely keep it still due to his superior strength.

Her breath left her in a rush as a fist collided with her stomach and threw her back. She held back a groan when her back rammed into a bar. She dreaded the amount of bruises she would have after this.

"Come on, _bella,_ is that all you can do? Surely you're better than this."

Her grip on her cane tightened in frustration. When she looked up, Raphael was gone from where he was before. She whipped her head around, trying to locate her opponent, but to no avail.

" _Bella~_ "

Blood ran down her leg as his claw cut through cloth and scraped her thigh, creating angry red lines on her skin. Asuka jumped away, holding her thigh in pain. The blood covered her palm and she grimaced in disgust. She glared at the young man in front of her, who was leaning against the bars with a lopsided smile.

"Let's have some more fun, yes?"

* * *

Tsuna twitched in worry as he watched on.

It was clear that the one from the Varia had the upper hand, even though his sister was a trained fighter as well.

"Reborn-"

"Shut up."

"But-"

"Didn't she tell you she'd be fine?"

"But she's not! The guy from the Varia is winning!" Reborn twitched and Tsuna received a hammer in the face.

"He hasn't won yet. Have some faith in your sister."

"Reborn is right, Tsunayoshi-kun." Tsuna and the others jumped at the sudden interruption. He looked down to see Fon watching the battle intently.

"A-ah! Fon-san!"

Fon looked up and smiled. "Your concern is warranted, but please do trust in your sister a bit more. She is not that weak." He looked back at the field. "Although, this type of match is quite troublesome, especially for us martial artists, and even more for Asuka and her cane. The bars prevent us from moving too much or using our techniques. Not to mention, that Raphael is a seasoned assassin with an impressive kill record. Asuka may be well trained, but she is only a high school student."

"T-then…"

"However, if she cannot win, then she is unsuited to become a guardian. She must be able to adapt to these situations, or she'd become a liability to the family. One cannot protect the family if they can't even defend themselves."

A blunt statement, but it was true nonetheless.

Sitting on a nearby bench away from the group, Hibari yawned into his hand. He wished that she would just hurry on and end the match already. She was taking way too long.

* * *

" _You will come back."_

* * *

Her heartbeat quickened as they exchanged blows after blows.

Rather than frustrated, she was getting annoyed.

Her cane was rather useless in the scenario. She was tempted to rip off her shoes and socks to get a better footing, but that would make her feet easy target. She was also tempted to rip holes in the judges for thinking of this kind of field.

Both their weapons were in a lock again, her cane pressing down against his claws. She tightened her grip on the metal, when suddenly, a blade shot out and plunged itself into Raphael's hand. They both blinked at the blade in surprise, but Asuka used the moment of hesitation to break through his guard and reach for his chained ring.

Before she could catch it in her hands, Raphael jumped back a few feet, looking at his wound. She herself then looked at her cane, which had a small blade coming out from the side. She glanced at the side, where Reborn was sitting on Tsuna's shoulder. The small smirk on his face confirmed her suspicions, though she'd be happier if he'd told her about his upgrades in advance. When she focused back on Raphael, she found him smirking at her also.

"What?"

"Hm~ Nothing really."

He immediately jumped towards her. But this time, his attacks were even more aggressive than before. He was faster, stronger, coming at her with more bloodlust than at first. She frowned in agitation. Had he been holding out on her? His smirk widened at her expression.

When she kicked him on the chest, he'd retaliate with with a kick of his own. When she nicked him with her blades, he'd return it with his claw. This eye-for-an-eye battle continued for a few minutes before they stopped and jumped apart again. Her breaths were ragged, while he seemed to be fine. Her bruises and injuries were started to burn with pain, but he didn't seem bothered at all. Perhaps it was because they've been at it for a while, but her body was starting to feel a bit heavy.

"You feel it don't you?-" Even his face seemed a bit blurry from where she stood. "-the poison."

* * *

Reborn scowled from his spot on Tsuna's shoulder. The damned assassin was smart, he'd give him that at least.

"That's just playing dirty!" Next to him, Gokudera was shaking and furiously crying foul. "Using poison against Onee-sama is dishonorable!"

"But it's to be expected." Though seemingly calm, he knew Fon was also irritated by Raphael's use of poison. "It's one of the most effective methods of assassination, and the boy makes great use of that fact. And there's no rules against it. Though in this situation, it's far from desirable."

He pulled down the tip of his fedora. Leon already transformed into a phone and was calling up Shamal. His eyes looked over to Tsuna, who looked pale and anxious. His fists were tight and trembling. No doubt, he was dying to go end the match (and Raphael).

He weighed his options of giving his student a pep talk again, but decided against it. Like it or not, it was the mafia. There would be situations like this in the future, and he had to be ready to face it head on without any hesitation. So he kept silent.

* * *

 _It was a command. You will come back. There would be no excuses._ _ **You will come home.**_

* * *

"One… two… three… four… five… six…" Raphael counted off as she held onto a bar to steady herself. "I see six open wounds from my claw. That means six doses of poison. Isn't that fun, _bella_?"

Her mouth was getting dry now, and her muscles were turning weak and sore.

"Does it hurt?" He received a glare in response. "Of course it does~ With those injuries of yours, it's supposed to enhance your pain receptors. But it'll hurt even more later, so this is just a small pinch."

The back of her head started to pound furiously. The wounds on her body started to sting and burn even more than before.

"You know, I made the poison myself. Impressive, isn't it? I'll tell you what. Hand me the ring and I'll give you the antidote. I'm the only one in the world who has it. Even that doctor of yours can't cancel the full effects even if he tried."

She managed to convey a short message through hoarse breaths.

"F-… Fuck off."

Raphael smiled.

He approached her casually. Asuka was slouched over, barely standing on the metal bars. When he reached over to get the ring, she violently swung her cane at him, aimlessly knocking it around her in attempt to defend it. He stepped back.

"Woah~ Stubborn. I like that."

She raised her head slowly. Her hand reached for her ring and ripped it off her neck.

"Oh? Changing your mind? That's a surprise."

"... I said… Fuck. Off."

Asuka looked around sluggishly. He watched as she jumped weakly to the edge of the structure. His eyes narrowed when he saw what she was about to do.

"What do you think you're doing, _bella_?"

She sent him one last glare before flinging the ring, chain and all, outside and far into the grove of trees surrounding the field.

Silence rang throughout as the onlookers processed her actions.

On one hand, the Varia were somewhat annoyed and irritated. Tsuna and the others were dumbfounded. Reborn, well. He didn't know whether to feel angry or impressed. Fon sighed and smiled in slight relief. The judges seemed hesitant and confounded.

Raphael growled under his breath. When he moved to jump down from the structure, the judges came up to stop him.

"You are not allowed to move outside the field."

He threw his hands up in annoyance. "She just threw the ring out! How am I supposed to win then?!"

The Cervello looked at each other before nodding in consensus. "Because neither participants are able to obtain the Ring of the Wind, we will make a special exception. This match has ended in a draw."

Raphael looked as if he was about to murder one of them. "What about the ring?!"

"We will hold the ring in our custody until the final match of the Sky."

While Raphael was busy yelling about 'unfairness, Asuka looked as if she was about to pass out any moment. She slowly dropped down from the structure, using her cane as support. By now, the pounding in her head was ten times worse. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Her injuries burned like fire. She couldn't even see properly.

"Nee-san!"

Tsuna ran towards his sister frantically. Right when he got to her, she collapsed onto her knees and gripped her head in pain. Fon placed a hand on one of her wrists and frowned.

"Her heartbeat is too high. She needs to calm down." Reborn clicked his tongue.

"Shamal should be here soon. Rain flames would help but Colonello isn't here right now." He looked over at Raphael. "And if what he said was true, then even Shamal can only do so much."

"I-is there nothing we can do to help!?" Tsuna looked close to tears as he supported her body. The others were standing on the side, albeit worried as much as he was.

Asuka groaned in pain. The volume of his voice just added to the massive headache.

"H-Hibari-san?"

She slumped in his arms, unconscious. Hibari retracted his hand from her neck. A dark scowl marred his face. He pulled her body towards him and carried her up in his arms. He gave a quick glare towards the Varia before turning to Reborn.

"Tell that doctor to go to the hospital instead."

He quickly walked out of the field, where they saw a car and one of his subordinates -Kusakabe?- waiting. Tsuna's gaze followed them. His body was still.

"Reborn, I-"

"Go. I'll follow later."

He did not need to be told twice. Tsuna immediately stood and ran after Hibari and his sister, the others following right after. Fon was still where he stood, as if contemplating something.

"Do you think it was intentional?"

Reborn sighed, crossing his arms and looking at the tall structure. "Definitely. All the matches are probably rigged in the Varia's favor. If this were a fair match with no field, she would have won."

If they had fought in an empty field, Asuka would have definitely won. Even if she was inexperienced, her teacher was Fon, a martial arts champion. With his teachings and style, there was no way that she could've lost. But the field hindered her from doing anything and practically rendered her style useless.

She would have. But she couldn't. So she thought to end the match in the quickest way possible, and in no one's favor."

He had to give her points for that. Instead of letting Raphael take the match, she threw away the ring to make it impossible to get. A risky move, but it somehow worked. It wasn't the most brilliant plan, but she did her job.

She was able to protect the family somehow.

That was good enough.

* * *

 _The smile he received was painful and full of apology._

' _I want to', it seemed to say._

 _But selfish desires would get you killed in this world._

* * *

 ** _i deleted the interlude chapter about guillelmina. if you're a new reader, don't worry about what i said. 8/8_**


	11. Pesante

_**If you will, read the note at the end. It pertains to old readers who may still read this fic. New readers can read it too.**_

* * *

The silence was deafening.

He could hear nothing and everything.

No noise could be heard from his friends. They were all quietly standing outside the operating room, a bright red light above the door signalling the ongoing surgery. Fidgeting as they were, no one dared to break the silence.

Outside their little crowd, the hospital went on. Nurses and doctors brushed past them, some recognizing them because of the sudden increase of hospital visits and stays over the year. They took a look at them, then the operating room, and walked off with a look of slight pity. But they would go on, walk away, away from them. Pity was all they had to offer.

He himself was a different story.

His heartbeat was pounding. The silence only elevated the noise in his head. His breathing was shaky and uneven. His hands were still, but the clamminess of his palms gave away his feelings. He felt compelled to tap his feet against the white linoleum tiles of the hallway, but he remembered the glare he received from Hibari-san so he stopped himself. His stomach was churning from nervousness. It was like the feeling he got when waiting for the teacher to pass out a test he knew he failed- except everything was worse. The paranoia heightened, the nervousness was indescribable, the feeling of helplessness, of _failure_ , just went up the roof because his sister, _his sister_ , was in there, being operated on, poison in her body, injuries all over like it was Mukuro all over again. He just wanted someone to tell him that she'd be okay, that she'd recover like last time, that she'd be healthy and fit and with no injuries.

No one did.

Not Gokudera-kun, not Yamamoto. Not Onii-san. Not Reborn, not Fon. Not anyone.

Because they knew they would be lying if they said so. They knew that she was not okay, she was not going to suddenly come out and hug him and comfort him. They knew better than anyone else that she was in there, hooked up with all those machines again, pumped full of anaesthetic, mouth covered in a foggy oxygen mask, face scrunched up in pain.

They saw when the door opened for Bianchi after she was called in to help Shamal with the poison. They saw a second time when Fon was ushered in, something about disintegrating the poison; he couldn't hear properly, the wires tangled up with the machines also seemed to be tangling up his neck and cutting of his air supply. The third time, Reborn was called in by Bianchi, who he heard saying "all hands on deck." He couldn't bring himself to look inside anymore because he was scared he'd break down into hysterics.

His clenched fists tightened as the surgery dragged on. Was it supposed to take so long? Well, they had to extract the poison from her body so it probably would.. How much poison was in her body? The Varia guy said she had six poisoned wounds, was that a lot? How much poison was on his blade? How potent was it? How fast was it spreading? If Shamal was taking so long, even with a poison specialist like Bianchi, was it going badly? Is that why Fon and Reborn was called in? Was she in pain? Would she be okay? Would she make it? Will she di-

Unconsciously, his heartbeat started quickening even more, his head hurling thoughts and scenarios everywhere. His hands started to shake, his shoulders trembling along. Suddenly it's hard to breathe again.

"-na! Tsuna, calm down! Tsuna!"

He snapped his head up and met Yamamoto's worried eyes. What? Why was he holding his shoulders so tightly?

"Tsuna, you're having a panic attack-" What? No, he wasn't... Was he? His hands were shaking and his heart felt like it would beat through his chest.

"Tsuna, look at me!" And he did. He looked right into Yamamoto's eyes. "Breathe. In and out." He did, slowly, but he did it. "Listen to me, right now, we're in the hospital. We're waiting for your sister to come out of surgery. She will be okay. She will be _fine._ You don't have to be scared. She's gonna be alright, the kid's in there helping her. You know him, he always makes things fine again."

That's right, Reborn's always there to help. In one way or another. Even if he's the reason for everything that happens, he's always part of the reason everything becomes okay. If he's in there helping, then she'd be fine, right?

He breathed again and again. Yamamoto kept his hands on his shoulders. His grip was tight, but at the same time it gave a sense of security. He felt just a bit calmer. Ah, was this the thing Reborn talked about? Rains and their attribute or whatever, washing away worries.

He took a glance around. Gokudera-kun was right beside them, looking a little reluctant. He probably didn't know how to deal with things like this. It was fine. He didn't either. Onii-san was sitting on the chairs across from them, looking worried too. Hibari-san was further away, seated at the entrance of the operating room. He wasn't looking at them, but a frown marred his face.

"How about, when Nee-san comes out and everything is okay, we go over to your house and have a big sleepover?" Yamamoto smiled at him. "We'll ask your mom to make us something to eat, she makes really good food. And we can play games or something. Right, Gokudera?"

The mentioned teen flinched at the mention of his name before nodding furiously. "That's right, Tenth! We'll do that and have a good night's rest afterwards."

"Ah," he turned back to Yamamoto, "but if you want to stay here, that's fine too. I'm sure we can ask the hospital for some spare blankets and pillows. We can order some takeout too. What do you say?"

He couldn't speak. He felt like something was stuck in his throat. Too many feelings, too many. He didn't know how to deal with that. It was overwhelming him. He used to think he went through a lot of emotions when he came home from another day as a failure, but this-... There were more than just being upset and feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet. There was desperation, grief, happiness, mixed with a lot of gratitude. If he tried talking now, then he'd-

"T-tsuna? A-are you okay?"

"T-tenth! Shit- Turftop! Don't just sit there, help me get tissues!"

-then he'd cry.

* * *

The silence was deafening.

She couldn't hear anything.

But it was rather peaceful. There was nothing. No need for anything. No need to do anything. No need to worry about anything.

" _I don't know about that one."_

She opened her eyes and saw a familiar presence in her mindscape.

" _You're currently undergoing intensive surgery as we speak. They're trying to get that poison out of you."_ Mukuro gave her a smirk. " _And it seems as it really did a number on you, so I wouldn't say that you have nothing to worry about."_

"What are you doing here?"

" _Nothing really."_ But obviously something as a chair materialized and he sat down. " _I'm surprised. I didn't think your mindscape would be so plain."_

She frowned. "Well, I don't ever remember giving you permission to intrude my mind, so you better mind manners." Though, the comment did bother her just a bit. It wasn't her fault it was plain. It wasn't as if she could just make stuff appear like an illusionist. If she could she'd have a chair too. Maybe a beach. A white sand beach. Surrounded by pretty clear blue water. Some trees would be nice, and a beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds, too. And- _ah._

Suddenly the 'plain' mindscape of hers transformed into just that. How?

Mukuro smirked. " _It's your mind, anything is possible. And you're more easily bothered by simple things than you let on."_

"Oh shut it." Maybe if she willed a piece of cake to- oh, there it was. "I'm sure you're not here to witness me explore the limitations of my mind, so please answer the question truthfully."

" _Kufufu, who said I wasn't truthful in my first answer?"_

She gave him an annoyed look.

" _I was told by Chrome what happened-"_

"She was there?"

" _Yes, albeit further away from the field. She wanted to watch. Don't interrupt."_ He returned the annoyed look. " _And I must say, I'm a bit disappointed by your performance. Downed by a bit of poison?"_

"Well it's not like I wanted that to happen did I?"

" _Perhaps not, but nonetheless, a bit pathetic. Your stunt with the ring was also unimpressive. It was incredibly stupid, and to be driven into such a corner that you'd resort to some idiotic tactic like that is even more unimpressive. Maybe I overestimated you, Sawada Asuka."_

"And I'm also unimpressed that you'd barge into my head just to tell me that I'm an unimpressive person." She willed a coconut tree to appear next to him and made a coconut fall onto his head. He looked even more unimpressed than he already was, if that was possible.

" _...Think what you must."_ He straightened up in his chair. " _I'll also have you know that I've called someone to help in the case that things get out of hand."_

"Really?" Her eyebrow lifted in suspicion. "The great Rokudo Mukuro would willingly ask someone for help?"

His smirk twitched. " _You really are insufferable. And yes. I_ asked _someone to help me because I believe your brother and his little friends are incapable of getting through this without harming his body, which will be a bit of a setback in my plans."_

"Not while you're stuck in prison, it won't." She was _unimpressed_ with his obsession over her brother. Very unimpressed.

" _That won't matter. The aid's name is Lancia. You may have heard of him from your brother or that Arcobaleno. In any case, that is all I have to say for now. Getting into your mind took a bit more energy than expected. Do try and not die."_

And then he disappeared.

* * *

Tsuna took a sip of the cool can of tea from the vending machine.

He had calmed down, with the help of Yamamoto. He had asked him how he did what he did. The boy only laughed it off and went on about how once, someone on the baseball team broke his leg after nasty fall, and the coach had to calm him down from a panic attack while the ambulance was on the way. He just remembered all the things the coach did and tried to do the same to him. It was a completely different scenario, but- 'hey, it worked out in the end, didn't it?'- was what he said.

And he was very thankful it did.

He just needed take his mind off of those scenarios, just for a little while to get his thoughts sorted. The silence made it worse. His friends noticed. Yamamoto had stood and whispered something to Onii-san, who nodded and stood with him. They both went off somewhere before coming back with some board games, drinks, and snacks.

"We got these from the nurses at the children's area," replied Yamamoto when he asked about the games.

Right now, they were playing a game of Candy Land. Yamamoto, bless him, had tried to get Hibari-san to play as well. But the prefect only scoffed and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

* * *

It was in the middle of a round of Connect Four between Onii-san and himself.

They were seated on the floor in a square. He was facing the door of the operating room. He was the first to see the red light flicker green.

Immediately he stood up, alarming his friends and the prefect, who whipped out a tonfa in habit. A few moments later, the doors in front of him opened. Reborn and Fon stepped out, followed by Shamal.

Tsuna walked past Ryohei and towards the three, eyes shining with an obvious emotion, knees a bit weak.

"Well," Shamal spoke first, "the good news is that she's stable."

He crumpled to the floor. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Her wounds weren't as deep as I predicted they'd be, which is good. It means that there wouldn't have been that much poison." The doctor frowned right after. "On the flip side, the poison itself was potent. When we began extracting the poison, some of it already started to assimilate into her bloodstream. We couldn't do much about that since we didn't know the composition of the poison. Bianchi and I are trying to figure out the compounds and an antidote, but since the Varia one made it himself, it'll be a hard one to tackle. Thankfully, we had these two," he nodded towards Reborn and Fon. "They helped a lot in getting rid of the poison that wasn't already assimilated, and we got some samples to work with too."

Fon frowned slightly. "I would say the worst is over, but we do not know the true extents of the poison. That boy Raphael said it was a pain enhancer, an extreme one to boot, but that is all. For what we know, there could be other dangerous extents-"

The babies suddenly whipped their heads towards the entrance of the hall. In Reborn's hand, Leon morphed into his signature gun.

"That's right~"

They all froze at the voice. The doors opened wide, revealing a smiling Raphael.

"You!- How dare you show yourself here!" Gokudera whipped out a handful of bombs, preparing an attack, but a sharp glare from Shamal stopped him. It was a hospital. No bombs.

" _Buonosera_ to you too, Smoking Bomb. And last time I checked, this hospital is a public place. Anyone can come and go~"

The sound of a gun cocking echoed through the hall. Raphael looked down and smiled at Reborn. "Now, now, Arcobaleno, let's not be so hasty. I'm not here to cause any trouble." He looked past them and motioned at the operating room. "Although the _bella_ did cause me some trouble with the boss with the little stunt she pulled."

"You're not welcome here."

Orange caught his eyes. Raphael shifted his eyes over to Tsuna. He raised his brows at the orange sky flame alight his head.

"Wow, you're lighting your flame for little ol' me? What an honor." He faked a pouty expression. "But I guess, if you want me gone so badly, I'll have to leave, along with this beautiful antidote to a poison I made."

That statement cause the rest of the people in the room to freeze up. He smirked. His hand reached into his pocket and took out a small bottle of liquid. He twirled it around mockingly.

"You want this for the _bella_ , don't you?"

Tsuna frowned deeper. "Why would you be willing to give that to us?"

"Hm~" The blond teetered on his feet. "Just because. It'll be more interesting that way. If the _bella_ dies, I'll get bored real fast, but it's not like I intended for that to happen anyway. Plus, that fight wasn't satisfying at all. Victory means nothing if the _bella_ couldn't even swing a stick without hitting four other metal ones. It'll be much more fun if I get to destroy her on even ground."

He tossed the bottle over to Tsuna. "Use it. Instructions on the bottom. Don't blame me if you can't read my handwriting." He turned around and opened the door before pausing. "Oh! I forgot, tell the _bella_ I said hi when she wakes up. Other than that, _arrivederci~_ "

* * *

He stared at the bottle in his hand. The instructions were in messy Italian.

"Tsuna." He looked over to Reborn, who was frowning just as he was. "It's your call."

His eyes trail from the liquid to the entrance of the hall, where Raphael had been moments ago. He was in no way trustworthy, he was the reason Asuka was even hurt in the first place. At the same time, there was not tugging feeling at the back of his mind whenever he felt that something was wrong. No warning system blaring and saying to throw the bottle away immediately.

Shamal had said the antidote, if they were to make one, would take a while to formulate. The antidote, if it even was it, was in his hands. His sister's possible lifeline was in his hands. His sister was his lifeline. His own lifeline was in his hands.

A tired sigh left him. He turned to Shamal and gave him the bottle.

"You miss every shot you don't take, right?"

* * *

Hibari sat down.

He did not move. Instead he wondered.

He thought of her injured form. The blood that dripped down her wounds and covered her hands. He thought of her pained expression as she fell from the poison. He thought of her bedridden self covered in bandages and attached to wires and machines. The weak, herbivorous state that she was driven to. Unacceptable.

He wondered more. Of the monkey king and his minions. Of the one with the tear marking on his face. Of how he will destroy them in his own battle. He wondered of how he'd bring him to his knees. He would make them realize how pathetic their lives were. But the tear marked one would not be his to bring down. That would be for Asuka's.

That one would be her's to conquer. It was her right to defeat him. He would not interfere.

Then he thought of her weakened state again.

...Perhaps he would lend a hand if necessary. But ultimately he would not take another's prey.

Carnivores didn't share.

* * *

 _Without the wind, the sky is empty._

 _Without the wind, the sky will fall._

 _Without the wind, there is no sky._

* * *

 _ **Unedited. Excuse any mistakes and inconsistencies.**_

 _ **A brief**_ (long) _ **note from the apologetic and slightly surprised author:**_

 _ **Hello, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, how are you, I'm good, thank you, I hope you are well, too. It's been quite a while -cough- since I updated this story. It's really because I was really busy during the summer following school's end, and consequently lost a lot of motivation, inspiration, and interest towards anime in general. (I also will not lie- I was put down by the lack of feedback despite a relatively high number of favorites and follows. I've noticed throughout the years that lack of reviews is a common reason authors lose interest and motivation. Asking for reviews passed my mind once, you know, 'Please R &R!' or 'Leave a review uwu!' but I decided not to. Let them do as they please. Laissez-faire.) Recently though, I was reintroduced back into anime and found myself falling in love again, albeit in the privacy of home lol. I watched, rewatched, read, and reread a lot of shows and manga, KHR being one of them. Imagine my surprise when I saw that EldLive and KHR collab trailer thing. KHR is one of my all time favorites, it's hard to let go of something like that. **_

_**(Also, watching all those anime got me unconsciously brainstorming fanfic ideas that I'd rather not act on because commitment issues amirite.)**_

 _ **I never really forgot about this fic, it was in the back of my mind somewhere, owaiting to be dug up. I guess I felt a little guilty leaving it off unfinished so early. I swear I had a lot of things planned. I had a bunch of ideas written in a little old notebook (snippets of plot, how the ring battles would go and end, details of Asuka's role in the future arc, her box weapon, Vongola gear, her possible relationship with Raphael and the Varia, the first gen Vongola, a LOT of detail on Guillelmina -whose chapter I will take down and maybe reupload if i decide to finish the varia arc-, and some vague ideas on the arcobaleno arc). As you can see, I thought of ALOT of ideas. In the old chapters, I also wrote in clues and foreshadowing in preparation for the future arcs. Of course, now that I look back I realize how shitty everything is..**_

 _ **BUT. I've also noticed that people still read this embarrassing little piece of my life's history. I was surprised when I checked the story stats and saw how the view count was still increasing and all that. It's nowhere near numbers of when I still updated, but it counts.**_

 _ **I don't know how many people still read this, or how many of the people from way back still want this to be finished, or how many people even like this fic, or how many people would be happy to see an update. But I will write a chapter to test the waters. See if I will still feel motivated writing this fic, see if people will read. If not, well, that's fine, I wouldn't mind. If so, I might just continue this fic for what it is. With a lot. A LOT. of editing.**_


	12. Interlude I

**i admit, i uploaded the last chapter at a bad time. while i did intend to continue writing, i got whooped in the ass by school. literal buttloads of work and tests. honestly i regret uploading when i did; should've done it earlier in the summer instead of at the end. and now, its winter break. yay. i feel like writing, but i dont feel like writing actual plot bc its a pain. instead i wrote out one of the random au ideas that have been swimming around since the beginning of time. not canon. definitely not canon. ...okay maybe canon.**

* * *

 _ **-where he is, but she isn't.**_

 _In which he is thrown into a parallel world, but no matter where he looks, who he asks- he cannot find her._

* * *

Hibari was seldom caught off guard.

When an explosion pierced his eyes during his patrol through the neighborhoods, he knew exactly where to go and who to confront and bite to death. He knew how long it took to get to them from where he was. He knew which floorboard held traps and which doors were rigged. He expected the unexpected whenever he stepped onto the property of the little animal and was never caught off guard.

He experienced ridiculousness in its prime when he was whisked ten years into the future to defend his town from flying imbeciles and flaming animals. He knew absurdity when he saw the strange things the baby pulled from nowhere. So really, he should've expected anything that came his way and brushed it aside.

So it would make sense, not that anything ever did, that it was when he was with her that his world would literally flip.

His initial plan was to enter the home, find the culprits, discipline the culprits, and leave. But as usual, another step was added to his plan when Asuka peeked into her brother's room, glanced at the pile of bodies, smiled, and offered him lunch downstairs.

The smell of sweet teriyaki invaded his nose as he sat down in the living room. He prefered sitting at the low table instead of the dining table, it gave him a view of the town outside. It gave him a sense of control despite not patrolling.

He glanced around the room. It wasn't filthy- Nana kept a proactive lifestyle as a dutiful housewife who kept the house clean, but there were still toys littered here and there. Dolls, blocks, grenades, pink balls, stuffed animals. There was a variety of toys as there were a variety of children living in the house.

A plate of steaming teriyaki chicken and a bowl of rice was placed before him. Asuka sat down next to him, still in her pink apron with bunny prints on it. From the pockets of the apron she pulled out two pairs of chopsticks and some napkins.

"There's some miso too if you want some." He shook his head. His stomach was not craving the hot soup. A peaceful silence enveloped them as they began their meal. It was nice. It _was._

It happened quickly. The screams came first. Then crashes and the telltale thumps of someone running down the stairs. Little spawns burst into the room. They ignored him in favor of running around and kicking the toys everywhere. From the edge of his vision he could tell Asuka was frowning. Voices came from the hallway- the little one and his followers. The moment they came in, the two spawns began to chuck discarded toys at them.

His hand twitched as colorful blocks flew alongside pink grenades. The other was already reaching for his tonfa, but a smaller hand held it from doing so. The glare he shot her didn't meet her eyes, but rather the back of her head as she turned to reprimand the children. One of them stopped. The cow one did not. He continued to throw his little toys around.

It happened quickly. The little pink ball left its little hand and mixed with the other flying objects. It bounced off a wall and headed towards him. One of his hands was holding chopsticks. The other was still covered by her hand.

But it was a little pink ball. He didn't think much of it. Like everything else, he brushed it aside as an unimportant object.

 _A little. Pink. Ball._

If, if it were a little pink ball like he thought it was, then it would have simply bounced off his shoulder and rolled onto the floor next to him. If it were a little pink ball, then it wouldn't have exploded into pink smoke when it hit him.

Hibari was seldom caught off guard.

He was not caught off guard when the world around him spun and he was suddenly in an irritatingly familiar vortex of color. No, he was simply distracted at the time. He was distracted by his meal, and held back by the chopsticks in one hand and inability to pull away the other.

(And he would be damned if he ever admitted that he only let his guard down because it was _her_ with him and _her_ that was holding his hand in its place.)

* * *

He found himself in his room.

It was deafening in its silence compared to the loud chaos he faced seconds before, but it wasn't unwelcome.

Five minutes, he thought. Five minutes was all it would take to get home. So he yawned, walked to his bed, and laid down for a nap.

* * *

When he woke up, he expected to be back in his own world.

That was not the case.

He was still in his room. (Was it really _his_ room if he didn't belong in wherever and whenever this was? He scoffed to himself. But of course it was. It was Hibari Kyoya's room, and he was Hibari Kyoya.) A frown made its way onto his face.

Malfunctions of whatever the time-space bending _thing_ the little cow spawn used were not unusual. It just had never occurred to him, until today. But it was unnecessary to wallow over such things. Loose ends caused by the thing always mended themselves in the end. And if it were to not, then he'd simply seek out the red-haired one and make him fix whatever happened.

He exited his room and went downstairs. Immediately he stopped when he saw the rest of his house.

It was different. Not structurally, and not in its appearance either. It was rather similar to his own, but it felt _wrong._ He took a long glance- the kitchen, the dining room, the living room. He took in everything he could and tried to place the similarities and differences to settle his unease.

His frown deepened when he noticed certain things. The little potted succulent was gone from the kitchen window. Some of the other plants looked dry, as if they haven't been watered in a while. The fridge door was free of any notes. There was only one coaster on the living room table- there were usually two. The bookshelf was less crowded. Only two rows were filled, and one was full of encyclopedias.

The house felt cold. Strangely empty. He did not like it. He did not like change.

With a ticked huff, he strided to the door and left the house that was not his. (He changed his mind after he took in the changes. It wasn't his house. It felt wrong to even be in there.)

 _(If he had thought a little deeper and connected a few more thoughts, he would've noticed earlier._

 _The succulent was brought by her, when she thought his kitchen was a little too bland and a little too sad. She watered the plants every week. In his house, they bloomed beautifully every season and looked nothing like the wilted, dry sticks that decorated the corners of that place. She left sticky notes on the fridge to remind him of things even though he insisted he didn't need them. It irritated him at first, but allowed her to continue mothering him through her little notes in the end. There were only two coasters on the living room table because she came over so much. Initially there was one. But he got tired of her asking him to get the coasters from the top cabinets because she couldn't reach. So he just left two on the table. The bookshelf was only full because she judged his taste in boring books. She brought over some of her own collection of books, because he 'needed to fill his life with more romance and comedy instead of boring history.'_

 _His house always felt warm because she was sensitive to the cold and raised the temperature of the thermostat whenever she came over. He got tired of changing it too so he just kept it at a constant warm temperature._

 _If he had thought about it more, he would've noticed that the traces left by her were the only things that changed.)_

* * *

He went straight to the little one's home.

It was his follower's fault that this happened, and it would be him that would fix it. The journey to the residence was rather quiet. Not the peaceful kind, no. For some reason, he felt unsettled.

When he arrived, he promptly decided to ring the doorbell instead of entering as he usually would. He was not in his Namimori right now, so he would approach everything with caution. The door opened and he was faced with Nana. The woman did not greet him as she would in his Namimori.

"Oh! Hibari-kun, what a surprise!"

 _(She used his last name, he noticed. She hasn't done that in years.)_

His neck dipped in the slightest bow.

"Are you looking for Tsu-kun? Or Reborn?"

 _(In the back of his mind, something bristled when she didn't mention her daughter.)_

"They went grocery shopping, but they'll be back soon. Would you like to come in?"

He nodded, and the woman smiled in return.

( _He was curious to see how different this place was. But if he knew at the time, he would have left immediately.)_

Like 'his' house, this one was also similar. There weren't any drastic changes, but he saw differences.

The counter near the entrance was missing a picture frame. The cabinet in the living room was missing its tabletop plants and two other picture frames. Strangely, this house felt just as cold as 'his' house.

 _(The counter at the entrance held a picture of her holding the little one in a hug. She was smiling while he blushed sheepishly. The cabinet held a family picture and a baby picture. She had always loved the family one. In it, she was a child, sitting between her parents with a toddler little one in her arms. The other one was her own baby picture. She disliked that one because she thought she was an ugly baby. The plants had been there for a long time. It was a gift sent from her father one her seventh birthday. She told him once that she thought they were ugly, but kept them because they were one of the only things in the house that reminded her of her father.)_

He was interrupted from his musings when the front door opened. The familiar voices of the baby and little one rang throughout the empty house.

"-but I already studied for five hours straight yester- H-hibari-san?!"

Perhaps one thing that would never change, even across worlds, was the perpetually annoying squeal the little one produced. He glanced at the boy before locking stares with the baby. One look told him the baby knew he wasn't the Hibari Kyoya from this Namimori. A kick to the boy's head confirmed it once more.

"Idiot. What kind of boss doesn't even recognize his own guardians?"

"H-huh? B-but that's Hibari-san… right?" The boy's confused eyes met his. It only took a few seconds of staring before they widened a tiny bit. He stepped back just a little. In apprehension maybe. "You're not… but you are..?"

The baby jumped onto the low table. "Was it Irie? Or the stupid cow?" Reborn received his answer when his eyes sharpened at the mention of the latter.

"It's been over five minutes."

The baby hummed. "Was it the bazooka?"

"It was a pink ball."

"I see. I don't know the specifics of the ball, but if it's anything like the bazooka, you'll probably go back some time soon. There's never been a case of permanent time or world hopping. At least, there's no documented case."

He grunted in irritance. A pain, to be sure. The little cow spawn would be punished when he returned. He checked his phone for the date- Saturday. He was supposed to spar with the red baby today. And now he was here, wasting his time on nonsensical things.

"Where is the red baby?"

Reborn raised a brow. "Fon? Why?"

"Is he not here?"

"He never comes here unless he has a reason to."

 _(Which, in his Namimori, he did. He had two. The other child spawn and her. After the battles with the monkey king, he had remained in Namimori with her. It would have been a pain, if it weren't for his agreement to spar with him on the regular._

 _This Fon though- what reason did he have to_ not _be here?)_

* * *

His first bout of realization (and denial) came when he attempted to call her.

It was Saturday. She was usually at home, at his home, with Fon, or shopping. Clearly she was not home or at his home. Fon, for whatever reason, was not in the town. So he calls her instead.

' _We're sorry, you have reached a number that is disconnected-'_

He frowned for the nth time. She never turned off her phone. He called her again. It went through to this time.

" _Hello?"_

It was not her. It was a boy. A child. Someone who was not who he was intending to call.

" _U-um, this is the Fujimoto residence… who is this?... Mom! If no one answers do I hang up-"_

He pushed the 'end call' button. Did phone numbers change in different worlds as well? He dialed Kusakabe's number.

" _Hello?"_

The familiar voice brought a deeper frown. He ended the call again and clasped his phone shut. It didn't matter. He entered the silent house and immediately went to his room.

He would find her tomorrow.

* * *

The second bout came when he entered the disciplinary committee's room.

Like all the other places he went to, it was cold. Hollow. Like all the other places he went to, there were things missing. He noticed it this time.

The feeder she bought for Hibird was missing. The black pen holder she gave him was missing. The tea set she always used was replaced by a plastic water pitcher and paper cups. The plush chair she always sat on instead of the two couches was gone. The cushions she placed on the couches weren't there.

Everything she left in her wake was gone.

Gone was the wrong word. Nonexistent- yes, that was more accurate.

The voice in the back of his head that awoke during his encounter with her mother forced itself forward. But he pushed it back into its cage before any thought could form.

He made his way into the student body room.

Empty, but understandably, it was Sunday. He walked to where her desk should be.

Nothing was hers. The papers, the books, the binders, the pens- nothing.

He checked all the desks.

The voice in his mind surged.

* * *

' _No results found.'_

The three words burned him. They angered him. They made him want to destroy the useless computer and the useless receptionist that came with it- like he did with his subordinate when he reported that there was no file that contained information on 'Sawada Asuka' in the database.

He refused to acknowledge the frustration and denied the annoying thoughts struggling to arise. He buried the grating voice in his mind. He refused.

He refused to even _think_ that perhaps, just perhaps, Sawada Asuka did not exist in this world.

* * *

The third time was his final one.

He stood in front of her home. He knew the little one and his followers were there because he could hear them from a mile away. He didn't ring the bell this time. He simply jumped onto the wall around the house, and onto the small platform outside the loud room. He slams open the window (if it were locked it would've shattered under his tonfas) and pays no heed when the occupants whip around in shock.

The baby was the first to speak. "What is it, Hibari?"

"Where is she." A demand, not a question.

"Who?"

 _No._

He turned to the little one. "Asuka. Sawada Asuka."

 _He refused._

The boy's brows crinkled. "S-Sawada Asuka? I-is she related to me or something?"

 _He refused to accept it._

"...Your sister."

 _He refused to acknowledge it._

The entire group seemed to go into shock.

"T-tenth! You have a sister?!"

"Since when did you have a sibling, Tsuna?"

"I-I have a sister?!"

The baby frowned. Their eyes met. Maybe something in his own eyes told the baby what he needed to know, because understanding flooded his eyes. Understanding, and pity. (He liked to think there was nothing, because he was Hibari Kyoya, and he _never_ gave away his thoughts so easily.)

"Hibari."

The tone of voice told him everything.

"I don't know how different your world is from ours."

He didn't want to listen. He wanted to leave. But for some reason, his feet stayed rooted to the floor.

"But in this world-"

He felt a strange pulling sensation. His body felt light. A poof, and pink smoke filled his vision.

It didn't stop the words from spilling.

* * *

" _ **-Sawada Asuka doesn't exist."**_

* * *

 _Hibari was seldom caught off guard._

 _He saw many things in his life worth questioning and experienced many ludicrous things. He was no stranger to expecting the unexpected. He knew how to adapt in the face of change._

 _So why was it that when the truth came, he felt his breath get caught in his throat? Why did his fingertips dig into his palm and break skin? Why did the voice inside his head feel the need to destroy everything in his path? Why did his heart stop and then pound?_

 _Why did he deny it so vehemently? Why did he act so irrationally? It wasn't even his own world. It was another Hibari's world. He didn't have to worry that he couldn't find her. He didn't have to concern himself with trying to prove to himself that she existed._

 _He knew she did. In his world. In his Namimori._

 _So why- why did it feel so wrong when he heard those very words?_

* * *

 **oof. it's short, it sucks, its unedited. i didn't mean to end it like that but its 3am and im tired and i wanna sleep.**


End file.
